


A Pound of Flesh

by notitlesapply



Category: Tokyo Ghoul
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, CCG!Hide, Ensemble Cast, Friendship, Kaneki's book obsession, Multi, Other Additional Tags to Be Added
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-09-20
Updated: 2017-07-01
Packaged: 2018-04-22 13:32:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 17
Words: 102,096
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4837115
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/notitlesapply/pseuds/notitlesapply
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rank 1 Investigator Nagachika Hideyoshi has a secret. When he eats dinner at home with his two roommates, he's the only one not eating human flesh.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Divergence

**Author's Note:**

> Visit me on tumblr: notitlesapply.tumblr.com

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In another world, Hide still doesn't push Kaneki for the truth. Instead, he pushes Touka.

In one world, Nagachika Hideyoshi waits and waits and _waits_ for his best friend to tell the truth. Hide wants so desperately to be wrong, despite the mounting evidence before him, so he puts his hands over his eyes and waits. He knows the truth, has known it for ages, has known it even before he went to the CCG, but he dares not say it out loud. It's only real if Kaneki admits to it, so Hide doesn't dare push his best friend. 

In another world, Hide still doesn't push Kaneki for the truth. Instead, he pushes Touka. 

– 

Kaneki has been missing for months. Officially, Hide has no idea where Kaneki went or what happened. Unofficially, the words “ghouls” and “Aogiri” fill Hide's head, and he knows something terrible has happened. Kaneki is alive, that much Hide is certain of, but anything more is...hazy. Hide has little information, and little means to get said information besides going to the CCG. Even there, working with humanity's greatest counter measure against ghouls, Hide is missing key puzzle pieces. 

Hide sometimes still sees the missing posters for Kaneki. He placed them there himself, ages ago. It's probably a useless endeavor since Kaneki isn't so much lost as he is hiding. And that _bothers_ Hide. If Kaneki was merely missing, it would be one thing, but instead he's running. The details are unclear for Hide, but it doesn't change the fact that Kaneki is gone, and Hide isn't the only one missing him. 

One day, Hide sees Touka at Kamii. 

The Touka he sees now is vastly different from the cute waitress he remembers from Anteiku months ago. It's not just the hair she let grow out. The Touka he remembers is calm, cool, with a hint of fierceness behind her polite smile. He knows she's got fire in her. He remembers the times when she would berate Kaneki (and later Nishio-sempai) over lack of skill at the job. A cool mask to hide a passionate inferno, that's how Hide remembers Touka. 

The Touka Hide sees before him now still has that calm smile on her face, but there is a frailty to it instead of a fire. Her eyes betray a sense of sadness, desolate and wounded, as if someone has taken something from her heart and never gave it back. He knows that look. It stares at him from the mirror. 

Suddenly, Hide is angry at Kaneki. The idiot has hurt more people than just Hide. 

He buys her coffee. It's cheap stuff from Kamii's cafeteria, nothing close to what's served at Anteiku, but it's not like he can get her a smoothie. 

Talking to Touka over coffee is a lot easier than Hide expected. He knows (even though he can't admit to it) that she and he live in different worlds. His has been blessed. Hers has not. And yet, they've been wounded in the same way by the same person. They're in a way reflections of one another, gazing at what they could have been and seeing what they already are. Hide has known Kaneki longer, but Touka knows what Kaneki is better. 

Hide can't imagine it, the hunger for human flesh, to be able to look at a person (breathing, laughing, _living_ ) and see food. It's a horror he can barely understand. It just doesn't seem real. But it's been Touka's reality since she was born, and it's Kaneki's life now. 

Hide doesn't really mean to, but they end up talking about Kaneki. Kaneki was an inevitable subject to turn to. Hide tells her about Kaneki's childhood and the bulling their friend endured. Hide mentions the play Kaneki once took the lead role in. Hide divulges to her about their friend's chin rubbing habit. It's a secret and very personal, but it seems _right_ somehow to share these stories. Kaneki connects the two of them, human and ghoul. 

For all that Hide and Touka are virtually strangers (coffee shop interactions aside, Hide can't really claim to know her) Touka is easy to talk to. It's as if they had been friends since childhood. Hide is reminded again that there was a reason that he had hit on her during his previous visits to Anteiku, beyond her cute looks. He had seen it then, her passion, her vulnerability, her humanity despite her species. And Kaneki had seen it too. 

And Kaneki is such an idiot making both of them worry. Can't that dork see? Can't he see how much they care about him? Hide wants to scream at Kaneki not just for his own sake, but for Touka's too. Touka is more than just Kaneki's coworker, she's Kaneki's friend, the same as Hide. And if that idiot hadn't run off, Hide was willing to bet that they could have hung out all three of them together. 

Or maybe not, since both Touka and Kaneki were trying to hide the giant man-eating secret in the closet. 

Hide's sick of it. He's sick of the hiding, of the secrets. He's sick of being kept in the dark, but even more so, he's sick of being the one doing the hiding. He wanted to come clean to Kaneki, to let his best friend know that Hide had been awake when Nishio-sempai attacked, and had been awake after. Damn it all to hell, but Hide just wants to tell Kaneki that he isn't scared of ghouls, just please come home! 

But Kaneki isn't here. Touka is. She's right here in front of Hide. Their conversation eventually winds down, and as she stands to leave (back to her life away from humanity, but still within it) Hide finds himself grabbing her wrist. It's a spur of the moment decision, one that he can still choose not to make, because it's stupid, and he's going to get himself killed. 

“What's wrong?” Touka asked, more curious than anything else. Her wrist is tiny in his grip, fragile like bird bones, but Hide knows better. He's been with the CCG long enough. He's taken the basic training. The bone and sinew he grasps at are far stronger than the ones under his own skin. 

“I know,” he whispered, knowing that she could hear him even though his pitch is too low for a human to register. Her hand flexes slightly in his grip, but she doesn't pull away. 

“Know what?” she asked, her voice still within normal range. But there's something a little cold in her tone, humanity peeled away just slightly to reveal a wary predator. Hide searched her face, and spotted it. Touka is giving him an out, a chance to brush his words off as a joke. 

He doesn't take it. 

“I know,” Hide repeated. He's still too afraid to say it out loud, so after a quick glance to make sure no one is around, he curves his free hand back and up, the classic hand sign for kagune. 

Touka is frozen, her eyes narrowed and her skin pale. She looks caught between shock and rage, a cornered predator transformed into prey. He smiles shakily at her, letting go of her hand and allowing his arms drop to his sides. He feels not quite free, but rather untethered and lost. She can kill him at any time, and he knows she's thinking about it to protect her secret. It's written all over her face. Hide would be lying if he said he wasn't scared. 

– 

Touka would be lying if she said she wasn't scared. She lived most of her short life with the conviction to kill humans that found out about her secret. It's safer that way. 

But Touka remembers a human woman sitting up from an altar, her eyes wide with wonder. 

_'How beautiful.'_

Touka looks around her. The area is mostly deserted, and it wouldn't be hard to herd Hide into a more secluded alley, and rip out his throat. It would be easy. But Hide's not running. And she knows from what Kaneki has told her about his friend that Hide is scarily clever. He has to see that he's in a loosing situation. Why hasn't he tried to escape? What he's doing now is as good as a rabbit rolling over belly up for a wolf. He should have never said anything to her. 

“You're just as much of a damn idiot as Kaneki is,” Touka blurted out, unable to help herself. 

Hide grinned, sunshine bright, “Yeah.” 

Touka paused, unsure. By now, she knows she can't kill him. It would be...wrong. 

“What will you do now?” she murmured, her eyes cast down to the ground. Hide laughed, the bright sound startling her. 

“Nothing, Touka-chan,” Hide replied, that sunny smile still firmly in place, “Just because I know about...about _that_ , it doesn't mean anything has to change. You're still you.” 

Hide paused for a moment, his smile dimming, becoming softer, more thoughtful. 

“That's what I want to tell Kaneki,” Hide confessed sheepishly, “He's still him. And I don't care about all the rest. He's still my friend. And for the sake of that friendship, I'd like to be your friend too. If you let me.” 

Touka stared at him, dumbfounded. Slowly, very slowly, she smiled. 

“I'd like that.” 

– 

Hide is not really surprised with how little things change. He has school and a part time job. So does Touka. Kaneki is doing who the fuck knows. The difference is that now Hide and Touka can bitch together about Kaneki's absence. It's rather therapeutic. 

Between their busy schedules, Hide and Touka find time to hang out. They talk about Kaneki, but not always. Usually, their conversation drifts to other things like rabbits, school, and their favorite movies. Hide and Touka have similar tastes in reading material which is _not_ depressing horror novels. They trade manga back and forth, and watch anime together. 

Having Touka as a friend is different from Kaneki. It's not lesser because of that difference, just something new. In some ways, Touka is easier to understand than Kaneki. She's more vocal where Kaneki was always quiet. It makes her easier to read. Her interests actually line up better with Hide's. They like action and adventure, comedy, and mystery—neither one of them enjoys tragedy. 

Touka is also more difficult to understand than Kaneki. She's a girl and a ghoul, so that's to be expected. She likes sappy shoujo which makes Hide roll his eyes. She's a a literal man-eater—it's just weird that she'll spend ages cooing over sparkly drawings and sweet romances. But then again, it's not so weird, because Hide doesn't see the monster the CCG label her as. When she bends over her homework, determined to get into Kamii, she looks like any other high school girl, and a high school girl is hundreds of times more baffling than a ghoul. 

And then, there's the ways in which Touka is the same as Kaneki. It's in her eyes. She's experienced too much loss. 

– 

Touka is a creature grounded in reality. She knows that horrible things happen each day and that there are no happy endings. At best, there are good moments, brief and fleeting, before they are cruelly ripped away. Happiness only exists to make the pain sharper and the sorrow more bitter. Loss is part of life, and if you want anything you have to take it. Touka is cold because she cannot be anything else if she wants to survive. 

If Touka was a character in a fairy tale, she wouldn't be the brave heroine or the blushing princess. Touka is the dragon, a beast of hunger and cruelty, viscous and strong. There is no happy ending for her. 

But for all that Touka is a monster, she is also a girl. She likes cute rabbits and fusses over her appearance. She can care and love. And she can be hurt. 

Kaneki has wounded her. He did it easily, without realizing what it was that he had done. She barely understood it herself. But even if she doesn't really understand, it doesn't change the fact that there is a hole in her that she can't fill, not with coffee, nor work, nor human flesh. She's bleeding out, and it's all Kaneki's fault. 

Kaneki's fault. All his fault. He left and she's hurting, and the idiot didn't even know what he has done. Touka learned harshness young. Happiness only exists to make the pain more unbearable. 

Yet, despite all her experience, Touka still hopes. She wants to have some sliver of happiness, something that is hers. Hide helped that hope flourish. It wasn't the same as having Kaneki back, but Hide was someone to talk to without having to lie. She can see why Kaneki considered the blond special. Hide is light and laughter, but more importantly, Hide is _acceptance._ Hide makes Touka believe that there's such a thing as a happy ending. That everything could be alright. 

Hide is like Yoriko, but different. They're both precious humans to Touka, but Hide _knows._ Touka doesn't have to hide a thing around him. She can take off her mask around him, both the literal and metaphysical ones. He's the first human she could ever let her guard down around. Even in the face of her inhumanity, he's friendly and easy to get along with. Hide's also scarily clever and scarily foolish in turns. She figured it was because he was a boy. Kaneki was like that too, intelligent and idiotic all at once. 

Hide was a friend, like he promised. 

Touka, the girl, hopes. She can imagine a world where Kaneki is back in Anteiku and the three of them (Hide, Touka, and Kaneki) are laughing together over coffee. 

Touka, the ghoul, is waiting for the other shoe to drop. 

– 

In all honesty, Touka expected that the first person to get to confront Kaneki would be Hide. Between her and Hide, Hide was the understanding one, the nice one, and the one Kaneki has known the longest. And while Kaneki may or may not have cared about them in equal amounts, Hide was the safe one to unload problems onto. Touka was far too rash. Really, if Kaneki ever mustered up the courage to talk to anyone about the shit-storm that was his life, it should have been Hide. 

But Kaneki never did gather his courage to go back to those he left behind. Instead, Touka is chasing him down trying to stop him before he disappears from her life again. She catches him, and for a moment she's stuck. She wants to greet him casually, as if nothing had changed. She wants to grab him in a fierce hug and cry. 

She should have come to him as an innocent maiden or the fairytale princess. She tries to talk to him calmly, but then he touches his chin. 

“As long as you're never alone,” Kaneki says, his dark nailed fingers curling gently under his face, his eyes closed, “then it's fine.” 

Liar. 

He's hiding something from her. It's not fine. _He's_ not fine. He hasn't been fine for _months._ He's a fucking liar, and it fucking _pisses her off._ Furious, she rages at him like the dragon she is. He catches her first punch neatly, a move he would have never been able to pull off a few months ago. It only serves to piss her off more. (What happened to that soft bookworm?) She yells at him and attacks him viciously. 

How dare he! How dare he make decisions for her! For them! Her and Hide! How dare he think that by leaving he was protecting them. As if running away and leaving them alone, they'd somehow still be alright. Even if she and Hide found each other, they still needed Kaneki. Kaneki was the bridge, the halfbreed between the human and the ghoul. And even beyond that, Kaneki was their precious person. He was loved, why couldn't the idiot see that? 

Hide is the nice one, the understanding one—Hide wouldn't beat Kaneki the way she is now, even if the idiot half-ghoul _needed_ it. Touka punches Kaneki for Hide. She punches Kaneki for herself. She punches Kaneki for _Kaneki_ so that the idiot could see sense. 

“Why?” she cried brokenly, memories of a smiling dark-haired waiter and Hide's stories of a shy bullied boy clamoring in her head, “Why did you have to change?” 

She's so disgusted, so angry (and so very sad—she's crying, when did she start crying?) that she has to leave. She's wanted nothing more than to see Kaneki face to face for ages, but she has to leave him there. Maybe it'll teach the idiot how it feels to be the one left behind for once. 

Once she's in her apartment by herself again, she lets her legs buckle beneath her. 

“He definitely won't be coming back,” she whispered miserably to the empty room, and curses herself. Blindly, she reaches for her phone (the one that sports a certain chubby rabbit charm) and dials, her hands on automatic. 

“Hey, Touka-chan!” Hide's cheery voice greeted her, “What's up?” 

Touka bit her bottom lip before responding. 

“I saw him,” she confided quietly, knowing that Hide would know exactly who she was talking about, “And I'm an idiot.” 

– 

Hide feels like an idiot, but he has no idea how to tell Touka that he works for the CCG. He figures it would be a good idea to come clean about it as quickly as possible. Telling her should be quick, if a bit painful. It shouldn't be so hard though. 

It's ridiculously difficult, like climbing a mountain with chopsticks. 

Every time he's about to tell her the words stick in his throat. Hide joined the CCG because he knew ghouls were responsible for Kaneki's disappearance, and the only way for a human to get any info on ghouls was through the CCG. She would understand, probably. But still, the CCG kills her kind, just as her kind kills his kind. But despite that, Hide thinks they can still be friends. They'll only be enemies if they let it happen. 

(Maybe his mindset is warped from reading too many shonen manga, but he wants this friendship to work, for his sake, for her sake, and for Kaneki's too.) 

But fate is conspiring against them, and the whole CCG is abuzz about the 20th Ward. Their old nemesis, the One-Eyed Owl, is there. Owl is hiding in the 20th Ward. Except there's murmurs about how there's two Owls, and things are complicated. There's too many questions and not enough answers, but it's enough to know that there is _an_ Owl is hiding in the 20th ward, and even better they know exactly where. 

Anteiku. 

Hide calls Touka as soon as he can get to a secluded place. 

“Touka, you need to warn everyone,” Hide blurted out quickly as soon as she answered the phone, not even waiting for the usual greetings. 

_“Hide?”_ her voice is tinny over the phone, _“What's going on?”_

“The CCG is going to raid Anteiku,” Hide explained quickly, his heart beating double time, “I don't think they know too many specifics, but they know Owl is there, and they're going to attack.” 

Her voice is soft, but there is a layer of panic under it, _“How do you know this?”_

This is not how Hide wanted to tell her. 

“I have a part-time job at the CCG,” Hide got out, distressed, “I'm sorry, I should have told you, but please, Touka, you have to believe me! I'm on your side, and you've got to run!” 

The line goes dead. 

“Damn it!” Hide cursed, resisting the urge to throw the phone against the wall. 

He punches the wall instead. It doesn't make him feel any better. 

– 

Hide didn't know what he expected when the CCG rolled up to Anteiku. He was hoping that they would find an empty building, but that was just wishful thinking. Hide's an optimist, but he's also a realist. If the CCG walked in and found nothing, then that's just a sure-fire way to start up a witch hunt. The CCG will never rest until they got Owl, not when they've finally gotten so close. 

Hide comes along with the CCG to the raid. He's supposed to just be Investigator Marude's assistant in the command center. Hide can hear all the commands flying around, and tries his best to keep track of who is going where. He has a great view of the whole battle, thanks to the screens that are displaying numerous angles. In fact, one of those screens is showing a clear view of Anteiku's storefront. 

Hide expected it, but he still gets a sinking feeling in his stomach when he sees a crowd of masked ghouls standing on the shop's rooftop. He prays that Touka isn't one of them. 

There isn't much that Hide can do, other than stand witness. He doesn't see the faces of any of the ghouls, but he can't help but envision the faces of Anteiku's staff. And when Owl (Non-Killing Owl, not One-Eye) steps onto the battlefield, Hide feels sick. He knows Anteiku's manager, and knows that the older ghoul is sacrificing himself so that others could flee. 

But Hide's unease at seeing the manager is nothing compared to the horror he feels when he hears the shout go out. 

“It's Centipede!” 

_Kaneki._

– 

Touka is packing her things, per Yomo's demands, when her phone rings. The rabbit charm dances with the vibrations, and without thinking, she answers it. 

“Hello?” 

“Touka-chan, you have to help,” a gasping voice panted into the phone as if its owner was running. 

“Hide,” Touka murmured, recognizing the voice. She's torn. On one hand, Hide is working for the CCG. On the other, he's the one who warned Anteiku so at least some of them could survive. 

“Please,” Hide begged, “It's Kaneki. He's here.” 

“What?” Touka hissed, startled, “He's supposed to be hiding with Hinami! What is he doing?” 

“I don't know, but he's in trouble,” Hide growled into the phone, “Please, you're the only one I can turn to. Help me save him!” 

Yomo is waiting for her at the doorway, but Touka has already knows what she's going to do. Nothing can change her mind. 

“Hide? Where can I meet you?” 

– 

Kaneki's thoughts are a chaotic mess. He's known it for awhile that his mind was deteriorating, but he's never realized how bad it's become. He's hallucinating—Rize and Yamori are clawing at him, demanding his flesh and blood. 

No, that's not quite right... 

_'Mine...mine mine mine!'_

Cold hands grasped at him, like claws and hunger. 

Kaneki yelled, and bashed his head against the wall, “Get away from me!” 

Rize and Yamori. They're here and they want control. 

“Get out, get out! It's **MINE!** ” 

But that's impossible because they can't be here. (They're not real. Nothing is real...who is—who is Kaneki Ken?) 

_'You're going to_ _ **fucking die like this!'**_

He's wounded, he isn't healing, and he's starving. He's never felt so out of control. 

“Get out of my BODY!” 

Kaneki's screaming and his kagune are bursting from his back like a mad flower in full bloom. It's like his mind is rotting from the inside, black tacky sludge laced with broken glass replacing his brain. As his own shrieks reverberate through his ears, a single coherent thought weaves its way into his shattered mind. 

_'I wasn't the one eating ghouls...The one being eaten was_ me.' 

Kaneki has turned himself into a monster in a way Kanou's experiment never could. 

“aaaAAAAAAAHHhhhh!” 

And then, a voice. 

“Yo, Kaneki! What's with the getup?” 

Kaneki knows that voice, even as his mind rots and decays. He knows it, and it _shouldn't be here!_

“Hi...de?” the thing that used to be Kaneki Ken croaked as it turned a kakuja masked face towards the scent of home, comfort, and _meat._

His vision was swimming, but his nose worked perfectly. There were two sources to that wonderful smell. Home, home, home... _flesh, human **and** ghoul!_

“Tou...ka.” 

– 

Hide had heard about the partial kakuja called Centipede. The rumors of the SS-rate ghoul spread like wildfire in the CCG office. The ghoul's strength was frightening, being able to not only damage the famous Arata armor, but to _eat_ it. But it was the stories of Centipede's madness that were chilling. If Hide didn't have proof right before him, he wouldn't have been able to connect the crazed ghoul to his soft-spoken friend. 

“All this time...you've had to suffer like this,” Hide muttered, his heart hurting, as he stepped forward. But before he could take a single step more, a strong slim hand was grabbing his elbow and pulling him backwards. 

Touka. 

“Don't touch him!” Touka yelled, pulling Hide back, “He can't control himself right now!” 

Hide looked back at Kaneki. There was a melon sized hole in the half-ghoul's abdomen. If Kaneki had still been human, he would have already been dead. 

Hide bit his lip, “But—” 

“Idiot!” Touka snapped, worry stamped all over her face, “If he accidentally hurt you, do you think he would ever forgive himself? Do you think he would be able to _survive_ that? Think, Hide!” 

Hide sucked in a breath. Oh. 

“H-Hide? To-Touka...” Kaneki mumbled, barely coherent as his kagune twisted wildly in the air, “L...Leave me.” 

“As if we would do that either!” Touka snarled as she marched over to the fallen half-ghoul, shoving Hide securely behind her, “Hide, go back topside. See if you can find a corpse. Even a chopped off limb will do. Just don't get caught.” 

“R-Right!” Hide saluted before scrambling off. In the meantime, Touka knelt down next to Kaneki, studying his kakuja mask. 

“Hey,” Touka whispered in a gentle voice as she reached out to Kaneki. He flinched back, just as her fingertips grazed the edge of the hard black mask. 

“D-don't you—hate me?” Kaneki asked brokenly, “A-and why is H-Hide—You're not real. You can't— _can't_ be here!” 

He whimpered, the sound distorted—damaged just like the rest of him. 

“Stupid Kaneki,” Touka murmured, grasping the sides of Kaneki's neck and pulling him into a hug. He struggled weakly as she pressed his mouth against her shoulder. Kaneki was too injured and too needy to fight for long. He lay panting against her, struggling against the maddening hunger. 

“Eat,” Touka ordered gently as she ran her fingers through matted white hair, “Hide will be back soon with more.” 

With a soft sob, Kaneki bit down. 

– 

Sometime later, Kaneki blinked open tired eyes, his ears filled with the soft banter of his friends. 

“—could have done it, you know!” came Hide's voice. 

“You squishy humans can't heal worth a damn,” Touka's voice retorted tartly, “I can. I'll be fine in a few days, _without_ permanent damage.” 

“You should have waited. We can't really afford to have both of you wounded,” Hide sighed resignedly. 

Kaneki groaned and carefully sat up to face his two friends. Both of them were wearing the dark combat suits the CCG investigators had been sporting, along with a few stray pieces of the body armor. Touka was clutching at a bleeding shoulder, her face pale and grimacing. Despite her injury, both she and Hide smiled when they noticed Kaneki was awake. 

“Hey, man, feel better?” Hide greeted. Kaneki didn't answer, and instead stared at Touka's wound, his body shaking. 

“Did I do that?” Kaneki whispered, his face ashen. The others traded silent looks. 

“It's fine,” Touka scoffed, brushing off Kaneki's concern with a cocky smirk, “I'm a ghoul. It'll heal.” 

“But—!” 

“It's payback for when I bit you at that church,” Touka interrupted before Kaneki could protest more, “Sorry that I don't taste very good. We got you some human meat to cover the taste.” 

He could tell. The gentle sweetness of human blood lingered in his mouth, just hiding the overripe flavor of ghoul in the back of his throat. That taste...that was Touka. 

Kaneki looked up at his two friends, his expression tortured and full of self-loathing. 

“Oi, Kaneki,” Hide butted in, his arms crossed, “Don't you dare feel guilty. We're here to save you, so don't complain. The only thing you're allowed to do is cry 'Save me! Save me!' while we carry you out of here.” 

_That_ startled the half-ghoul out of his self-pity. 

Kaneki snorted, faintly offended, “As if I would—” 

“You heard him!” Touka snapped as she threw a bundle of dark cloth at him, “Put this on and be our damsel, shitty Kaneki, or I'll kill you.” 

Kaneki gaped at her while Hide snickered in the background. 

Touka glared when she noticed he wasn't moving, “Did I stutter? Get dressed!” 

Too bewildered to deny her, Kaneki did as he was told. The clothes turned out to be a CCG uniform, same as what Hide and Touka were wearing. 

“I don't understand,” Kaneki whispered as he tried to pull together his scattered thoughts into some semblance of order. 

Hide gave Kaneki a funny look, and Touka snorted. 

“Don't worry about that right now,” Touka ordered curtly, “We've got to get moving." 

“Right now the plan is to pretend to be injured investigators,” Hide explained as Kaneki finished zipping up the CCG outfit, “Investigator Marude has sealed off all the exits. The CCG is aiming for a complete extermination, and the only way out is through CCG lines.” 

“What about Irimi-san and Koma-san?” Kaneki asked as he jammed on a helmet to cover his distinctive hair, “They and the others were headed to V14. Maybe we can go that way too.” 

Hide turned pale, “V14? No—that's the worst place to be!” 

Kaneki turned wide gray eyes to meet horrified brown ones, “But they're already down there!” 

Hide's face turned grim, “Then they're dead. Arima was assigned V14. We can warn others not to go down there, but V14 is a death trap! We're not going there.” 

“I agree,” Touka sighed, though she didn't look happy about it, “We can't do anything to help the ones that are already down there. We're too injured to go against the Reaper. I'll make some calls. Hopefully, someone has their phone, and we can spread the word.” 

“Meanwhile, we're going to double back into CCG lines,” Hide explained, “We're too weak to fight our way through, but things are chaotic, and we should be able to slip by wearing these outfits. Just keep your helmets on and your heads low, and we can escape. We can't do anything for anyone if we're dead.” 

As they got ready to leave, Kaneki grabbed Hide's arm, stopping the human momentarily. 

“Hide?” Kaneki began in a weak voice, “I need to know. H-how did you you find out?” 

Hide's face froze in surprise before morphing into a brilliant smile. For a moment, Kaneki was stunned, as if he had looked into the cornea of the sun. Hide's free hand came up to squeeze Kaneki's shoulder reassuringly. 

“I knew the whole time!” Hide replied that bright grin in full display, “I don't care about that. Let's just go home.” 

“Home...” Kaneki echoed, looking between his two friends, the ones he thought he had to leave, the ones he thought he didn't deserve. It's surreal seeing both of them here together. A human and a ghoul, their hands outstretched to him...This is what he had lost. It had been here the whole time. His eyes burned faintly, and he blinked back wetness. What a fool he had been. 

Touka and Hide shared a quick knowing look. Wordlessly, they each took one of Kaneki's hands, one on each side. Kaneki smiled at them. It wasn't quite the same smile from his past, but it was warm and real. 

“Yeah,” Kaneki agreed, “Let's go home.” 

– 

The three of them had made it out of the sewers. There had been a few close calls, but the chaos of the battle and Touka's obviously ghoul inflicted wound had allowed them to slip past CCG barricades. Now, in the aftermath of the harrowing adventure where they still lost too much, the three youths were sprawled out in Hide's apartment, exhausted. 

“So what now?” Kaneki asked in a tired voice. 

“Go into hiding, like Yomo wanted, I guess,” Touka sighed from her position on the couch. The boys were lying on the floor, but both Hide and Kaneki had insisted that Touka take a more comfortable perch. If she hadn't been too tired to argue, she would have protested. Both her wound and Kaneki's had been cleaned and dressed, but overall all three of them were filthy from their time in the sewers. At least the meal had healed up the worst of the damage done to Kaneki's body. Sludge and blood were already streaking Hide's furniture, staining surfaces beyond repair. 

“You two are probably going to have to change your looks,” Hide suggested as he stared up at the ceiling thoughtfully, “Kaneki especially. The CCG has your photo and name. They don't have Touka's name, so she won't have to change it, but Kaneki—” 

“I'll figure something out,” the half-ghoul mumbled, “What about you Hide? Will you go back to the CCG?” 

“That might be a good idea,” Hide mused, “The CCG will be on the lookout for you guys. I could help you hide. Maybe I can trick the system into thinking you're dead.” 

“I might know someone who can help you,” Kaneki mumbled, his eyes half closed, “Tsukiyama's friend, Chie-san, has hacked the CCG before. If you coordinate with her, you could pull it off.” 

“Going back to the CCG is dangerous, Hide,” Touka frowned, “If you get caught—” 

“It won't be as nearly as bad if I get caught than if you and Kaneki get caught,” Hide pointed out, “I just face imprisonment. You guys get executed, or worse.” 

“Still dangerous.” 

Hide grinned, “I'll be careful. Just as you guys will be careful.” 

“Yeah,” Touka smiled softly, “Yomo will be with us too, so it won't be so bad. But I worry about you.” 

“Well, you'll still call, right? Maybe visit?” Hide checked, and then grinned with they nodded, “Besides, you guys don't need to be bouncing around forever. Once you establish your cover, come back. We'll rent a place together, the three of us.” 

“Is that wise?” Kaneki questioned warily, but he wasn't able to hide his interest in the idea. 

“It's brilliant, actually,” Hide bragged, “I'll be a ghoul investigator. What sort of investigator lives with ghouls?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title from Shakespeare's _The Merchant of Venice._
> 
> In my humble opinion, much of the tragedy that is Tokyo Ghoul would have been avoided if Kaneki grew some balls and 1) told Hide about the ghoul thing, or 2) at least let Touka drag his ass back to Anteiku after the Jason incident. But since there was no way Kaneki was ever going to do that, instead Touka and Hide had to form Team Save Kaneki Ken From His Tragic Life Because Fuck He Needs Hugs.
> 
> In case anyone is wondering about relationships in this fic, eh, that's not really the main focus. There might be hints of romance but just like in the manga, romance isn't in the forefront. Hopefully, you can tilt your head and say, “oh, hi there romance” but also tilt your head the other way and say “oh, that's just super friendship”. ~~However, TouKenHide is my OT3 for this fic, and there might be side-stories.~~
> 
> On another note, if I was to write a fairytale!AU then Touka would be a bad-ass dragon, Hide would be a spunky knight, and Kaneki would be their princess. *is shot* ~~Please someone write this so I don't have to...~~


	2. Homefront

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Hide, you're eating a hamburger at the same table as two ghouls eating human kidneys,” Touka said dryly, punctuating her comment by stabbing said kidneys with a fork, “You don't count.”

_Two years after the Anteiku raid._

Rank 1 Investigator Nagachika Hideyoshi was beaming. Not that such an expression was unusual for the cheerful blond, but it was rather unusual for a ghoul investigator. He whistled happily as he passed the RC scanners at the entrance of the CCG's main office. He greeted everyone he saw on his way to the elevator, and when he got in, he punched in the button for the fifth floor. 

“Good morning!” Hide greeted as he threw open the doors of a conference room. Inside, the Mado squad, his squad, sat waiting. Led by First Class Mado Akira, the squad was relatively new, having been formed only a few months ago. While Hide and Akira had worked together before, the other four investigators assigned to the squad were relative newcomers to the business. They were all recent graduates of the Academy that Hide and Akira were tasked to train them as proper ghoul investigators. 

“You're late, Nagachika,” Rank 2 Investigator Urie Kuki growled irritatedly. Hide laughed, his eyes crinkling up, and hefted the two drink caddies that he was carrying. 

“I brought coffee,” Hide defended himself, as he placed down the drinks and started passing them out, “And I'm not the last one. Shirazu and Saiko aren't here yet.” 

“Shirazu was trying to wake Saiko,” Rank 3 Investigator Mutsuki Tooru said, “They should be here soon.” 

“Hopefully,” Akira groaned, trying to to be irritated with her subordinates, “This mission has gone longer than expected. And Nagachika?” 

“Yes, boss?” Hide saluted with his coffee cup. 

Akira's lips quirked up slightly, “You seem in a good mood.” 

Hide laughed brightly, “You noticed? I just finished moving this week! I've upgraded to a bigger place.” 

“What do you need more space for?” Urie snorted. 

Hide rolled his eyes with a teasing smile, “For my roommates, duh. The three of us have been living in a crappy tiny apartment for ages. It was time to upgrade to a larger space with a full bath. I'm going to have a tub!” 

“Roommates? (Why would anyone want to live with a loudmouth like you?)” Urie raised an eyebrow before taking a sip of his coffee. He glanced down at his cup in surprise. It was good, very much so. 

“Delicious, right?” Hide smirked knowingly, gesturing to the coffee, “My roommates own this coffee shop. I haven't had to suffer through bad coffee ever since we moved in together. Their shop has only been open a few months, but they've started making enough revenue for us to move to a bigger place.” 

Akira hummed thoughtfully, “You've been living with them for almost a year, correct? What's the name of their shop? Maybe the squad can go there for lunch and finally meet them.” 

“That would be nice,” Mutsuki agreed, “It would be best if we told them ourselves that we liked the coffee.” 

It was only for a second, but Hide stared at the other investigators in surprise. He recovered quickly, his expression melting into something thoughtful, before he laughed happily. 

“Sure, I'll take you there tomorrow,” Hide nodded, his voice cheerful, but his eyes distant, “You'll like their cafe. It's called :re.” 

– 

Hide was a pretty good hacker, in his humble opinion. Not quite as good as good as Hori Chie, but he had the advantage of having a CCG badge and password. Of course, he had to be careful when using his credentials to access restricted information in order to avoid suspicion. It helped that he was a former member of Division II; reading over random files was practically expected of him. 

He had carefully edited a few too. After the clusterfuck that was the Owl Suppression Mission, no one really double checked all the records of that night. There was just too much data to sift through, and fact checking always went to the low man on the totem pole anyway. And if that low man on the totem pole happened to be Hide, then it was a win all around. It was no hardship to edit Centipede's file, changing the status from “Unknown” to “Confirmed Deceased.” A few staged photographs just sealed the deal, and the file was dumped into storage to be forgotten. The file for Kaneki Ken was similarly buried in obscurity, the theories on who exactly suffered through Kanou's experiments with hybrids fading from the CCG's archive and thus the collective memory. 

Two years ago, not long after the Anteiku raid, Hide stumbled over a single forgotten file from the CCG's science department. It detailed an experiment for producing synthetic meat for the consumption of ghouls in Cochlea. The project had been terminated before it was completed, due to lack of budget and interest. Despite the lack of enthusiasm from the CCG, for Hide, it seemed like a fun side project. 

Not for him, obviously. His skill set didn't lend itself to to biology or medicine. Luckily, that's what Nishio-sempai was for. 

– 

If you were to ask Hide what Nishio Nishiki's most redeemable quality was, the blond would respond instantaneously with Kimi. As much as he liked and respected Nishio-sempai, Hide would never deny that the former pharmacy student was prickly at best, and down right hostile at his worst. Really, if anyone wanted to get anything from Nishiki, the correct answer was always to go through Kimi. 

Nishiki might have tried to keep his distance from his human girlfriend to protect her, but he couldn't quite let her go. Personally, Hide thought it was better that the two of them stayed together. They obviously loved each other, and when had leaving ever saved the person left behind? After experiencing being the one left behind, neither Hide nor Touka were not too keen to watch it happen to someone else. Between Hide and Touka nagging Nishiki, the bespectacled ghoul found himself returning to Kimi's side more often than not. 

When Hide first discovered the CCG's file on the synthetic meat experiment, Hide waited patiently until Nishiki and Kimi were visiting each other before dumping the file on their hands. Kimi was interested straight from the get go, her eyes lighting up with interest as she thumbed through the papers. 

“I might be able to use this as a research project for my medical degree,” Kimi had said excitedly at the time, “Are you sure I can have this, Nagachika-kun?” 

“Sure!” Hide had laughed, handing the papers over. 

“Synthetic meat for ghouls?” Nishiki had scoffed, “It's no good if it doesn't taste right.” 

Kimi's smile had been radiant, “Thank you for volunteering as a taste tester, Nishiki.” 

Hide had to admit, watching Nishiki sputter had been worth it. The ghoul didn't resist long, and easily crumpled to Kimi's demands. 

Two years later, and the pair of them were still at it, fine tuning the details on their experiment. It wasn't finished yet, but synthetic flesh was an important piece in the bigger picture. Kaneki once told Hide and Touka that the world was wrong. If the world was wrong, then it was only natural to want to cure it. 

– 

“I'm home!” Hide called out as he entered his (shiny new) apartment and took off his shoes. Man, he was beat. Long days at the office would do that to a person. 

“Welcome back!” two familiar voices called back from the living room. Heading over there, the blond tossed a grin at his two roommates. Both of them were seated on the couch watching TV and drinking coffee. 

“Hey Kaneki, Touka-chan,” Hide greeted as he shed his coat and joined them on the couch, “How's the shop?” 

“:re is doing fine,” Kaneki assured Hide as the half-ghoul smiled over a cup of coffee, “We made a good amount of money today.” 

“Hey, idiot Hide,” Touka frowned, lightly smacking the human over the head, “Remember to use the right name. We don't want you slipping up in public.” 

“Alright, alright, Haise then,” Hide laughed sharing a wink with Kaneki, “Sorry, man, but I'll never get used to calling you Sasaki Haise. Not to mention that freaking hair and the glasses.” 

“I hate the wig too,” Kaneki sighed as he touched the unruly brown locks resting on top on his head, “The glasses aren't bad, but the wig is too warm.” 

“You don't have to wear it in the apartment,” Touka grumbled, feeling a little sorry for the half-ghoul, “At least don't forget to wear it outside. The whole point is that it makes you look like a completely different person.” 

“I should have just gone with dye like you, Touka-chan,” Kaneki sighed as he slid the wig off, revealing striking black and white hair. Hide snickered and ruffled Kaneki's real hair, ignoring his friend's cries of protests as the dual-toned strands went in every direction. 

“Yeah, but then you'd have to wear a wig while doing ghoul business like Touka-chan,” Hide teased, “Besides, white hair looks good on you.” 

Touka sniffed, “Makes him look like an old man, you mean.” 

“I resent that,” Kaneki groused, finally batting Hide's hand's away. Hide laughed again before schooling his expression into something more neutral. 

“So, my squad's been working on this case, and frankly, we're at our wits' end,” Hide began seriously as he slipped a few sheets of paper out of his pocket. Each sheet was watermarked with the CCG's seal. Touka and Kaneki looked towards him, their expressions sober. 

“Do tell,” Kaneki murmured in a quiet voice. 

– 

Hide understood that if his coworkers knew what he was doing, he would be labeled a traitor. He was a human, a CCG agent on top of that, but he was helping ghouls, even living with two of them. He handed over CCG insider information to ghouls without batting an eye, and helped Hori Chie hack into the CCG's servers by giving her passwords. But Hide never considered himself a traitor. Not to humanity and not to Touka and Kaneki. 

After the fall of Anteiku, ghoul society in the 20th ward was chaotic. The power vacuum that had been left immediately after had the CCG busy for a good two years. Due to the constant need for investigators (and a short stint as part of the CCG's anti-Aogiri team) Hide had risen quickly through the ranks. And all throughout that time, Hide had to juggle the dual duties of capturing hostile ghouls and hiding the remains of Anteiku. 

At least he hadn't been completely alone. Really, it was Touka more than anyone else who had founded :re as the newest safe haven for weaker ghouls, and organized the shattered remains of Anteiku. Between Touka, Kaneki, and Hide, they had managed to build a life not only for themselves, but for the ghouls that had once enjoyed Anteiku's protection. Really, they were lucky that Yomo, who had been with Yoshimura the longest, was still around. Yomo had been a huge help in building :re into an establishment to take Anteiku's place. 

For all that their lives had more or less settled, things were by no means perfect nor peaceful for the three roommates. Kaneki in particular had to very careful, due to his real name and likeness being known to the CCG, even if Hide obscured Kaneki's CCG records. They were walking a tightrope, living in that strange gray area between humans and ghouls. But they wouldn't have it any other way. Any other option required the three of them to separate, and after all they had gone through, none of them wanted to leave. Even though it was dangerous, like this they could all be together. 

Hide hummed happily to himself as he cleaned and set the dinning room table with silverware. The smell of cooking beef wafted from the kitchen, along with the soft clink of a knife on a chopping board. 

“God, that smells good,” Hide moaned when Kaneki stepped out of the kitchen with a freshly cooked hamburger steak. Touka followed closely behind, balancing cups of water. 

Touka snorted as she placed the drinks on the table, “Speak for yourself. That stuff smells so nasty.” 

“Hush, you,” Hide mock scolded her before grinning up at Kaneki, “You cook, you clean...Haise, you are the perfect housewife. Please, have my babies.” 

“I don't think that's possible, Hide,” Kaneki laughed as he placed the hamburger in front of the human, “Besides, you and Touka are the ones who clean.” 

“Touka-chan, please have my—” 

“Again, not possible,” the female ghoul cut in, though her playful smile took the sting out of her refusal. Hide sighed gustily. Touka snickered at the human's dramatics while Kaneki merely wandered back to the kitchen to fetch plates for Touka and himself. 

“What is that?” Hide asked curiously without a trace of disgust when Kaneki returned with blood splattered plates, “That doesn't look like the normal meat.” 

“It's liver,” Kaneki replied shyly, despite Hide's nonchalance, “And, um, kidneys I think?” 

Hide merely shrugged and dug into his hamburger without batting an eye, “Huh. I thought you hated liver.” 

“Maybe when I was human,” Kaneki corrected, as he bit into his meal, his kakugan flaring to life. Touka followed suit, a pleased hum slipping from her lips. 

It had taken some convincing on Hide's part to get his roommates to start sharing mealtimes with him. Touka had bought into the idea after minimal prompting, easily accepting Hide's pitch of dinnertime being the great connector for friends and family. Kaneki, obviously, had been mortified of sharing meals, and had resisted the idea for months. It had taken Hide a combination of begging, relentless texting, and a completely unfair threat of bleeding on the couch before Kaneki finally relented. Due to a ghoul's metabolism, the trio didn't need to eat together often, so Hide greatly cherished the occasional shared meals. 

The blond didn't care if eating dinner with ghouls made him look like a weirdo to other humans. It's not like they could see what Hide did in the privacy of his own home. Hide had worked hard to not feel nausea whenever he saw a ghoul eat, and damn it, he was going to reap the rewards of his efforts! Family time was important. 

“So, my squad really liked the coffee you made for them, Touka,” Hide said around a mouthful of burger. Kaneki had seriously gotten a lot better at seasoning food ever since binge reading every cookbook he could find and with Hide acting as a taste tester. Hide happily took another bite from his meal. The half-ghoul had even added a fried egg on top. Awesome. 

“It was no problem,” Touka smiled, the blood from her dinner looking more like lipstick on her mouth than anything else, “I'm glad they liked it.” 

“Yeah, they liked it so much they want to stop by the cafe tomorrow,” Hide laughed, scratching the back of his head. As one, Touka and Kaneki dropped their forks with a sharp clatter. Hide shifted around uncomfortably in his chair as he found himself pinned in place by one and a half pairs of shocked kakugan eyes. 

“You're bringing your squad to :re?!” Touka yelled furiously. Hide winced at the volume of her voice, and looked desperately to Kaneki for support. 

“It would have been weird if I said no,” Hide defended, scratching his cheek sheepishly. Touka groaned and buried her face in her hands. 

“We're going to get caught,” Touka moaned, completely dismayed, “It's a miracle the Doves haven't caught us yet, and now it's over.” 

“Touka-chan, it's alright,” Kaneki soothed, rubbing circles into her back, “We'll just act like it's normal. There's nothing to be worried about.” 

“Yeah, they don't suspect a thing,” Hide assured her, “You haven't met any of my squad in person before, and while Akira has seen old pictures of Kaneki before, he looks really different now. And that was _years_ ago. It'll be cool. Besides, it's not like I'm bringing Arima-san with me.” 

“That would be interesting,” Kaneki chuckled. Touka glared at them from between her fingers. 

“You mean suicidal.” 

“Look, everything is fine, Touka-chan,” Hide sighed, joining Kaneki in rubbing her back, “Akira and the kids don't know a thing. They just liked the coffee and are curious about the awesome people I live with.” 

“Just think about it this way,” Kaneki offered, his voice gentle, “They are ordinary college students enjoying a cup of coffee that you made.” 

“But they're Doves!” Touka wailed in protest. 

“So am I,” Hide pointed out. 

“You don't count,” Touka huffed, crossing her arms. 

Hide tilted his head curiously, “How so?” 

“Hide, you're eating a hamburger at the same table as two ghouls eating human kidneys,” Touka said dryly, punctuating her comment by stabbing said kidneys with a fork, “You don't count.” 

Hide shrugged and shoved another bite of beef into his mouth. 

“Dinner time is family time,” Hide stated tartly, waving his fork for emphasis, “Even if everybody's meals are disgusting to each other.” 

– 

The next day, the Mado squad found themselves standing in front of a coffee shop. A small sign outside the door proclaimed the name to be :re. 

“We're here!” Hide announced, as he opened the door for the others with a small flourish. 

“Welcome,” came Touka's usual polite call as the ghoul investigators entered the cafe. 

“Table for five please,” Hide grinned gesturing to his group. Most of his squad, that being Akira, Mutsuki, Shirazu, and Saiko, had joined him for lunch. Urie was the only one to decline, giving the excuse of being busy with training. Honestly, Hide figured that Urie was just being anti-social. 

“I thought there would be more with you, Hide,” Touka frowned as she showed them a table. 

“Urie's busy,” Hide replied with a mischievous grin, “In other words, he's being a brat.” 

Akira raised an elegant eyebrow at the younger blond, but Hide shrugged it off. If Akira truly disagreed with him, she would have said something verbally. Their other squad mates didn't refute Hide either (rather, Saiko and Shirazu were snickering in agreement to each other) though Mutsuki did purse his lips in imitation of Akira. 

“I see,” Touka sighed, her hands on her hips, “Haise is going to be upset, you know. He was looking forward to meeting all your co-workers.” 

Hide had to admit, he was impressed. Just looking at Touka, no one would ever be able to guess that she was nervous. Her acting was superb. 

“Speaking of Haise, where is he?” Hide asked, looking around curiously for his oldest friend. 

“I'll go get him. Please wait here,” Touka said politely, before heading to the back kitchen. As soon as she disappeared, Hide cast a critical eye over his squad mates. To his delight, Shirazu was blushing. 

“Ooo, Shiragin has a crush!” Saiko teased, having noticed the blush too. Mutsuki stifled a laugh. 

“Shut up,” Shirazu grumbled. Hide threw a friendly arm around Shirazu's shoulders, drawing the younger investigator close. 

“It's okay, Shirazu,” Hide grinned, his voice teasingly light and cheerful, “Touka-chan is very beautiful. People fall in love with her everyday. But just so you know, if you ever make a move on her, Haise and I will scoop out your eyeballs with a spoon.” 

Shirazu gaped at his smiling mentor in horror while the rest of the Mado squad stifled snickers. Finally, Shirazu scoffed, his face still bright red. 

“Shiragin is in trouble with Papa-Hide,” Saiko giggled, poking Shirazu in the side playfully. 

“Don't joke like that, Hide,” Shirazu grumbled, looking away in embarrassment. 

“Who said anything about joking?” Hide laughed lightly, giving Shirazu a friendly pat on the back, “Seriously. Scooping your eyeballs out with a spoon.” 

“That—sounds disgusting,” a soft voice commented nearby. The investigators looked up to see a bespectacled man in an apron carrying a tray laden with food. The man had the wildest mop of brown hair, the long strands hanging over his glasses, almost completely obscuring a pair of soft gray eyes. Touka hovered by his elbow, a second tray in her hands, this one filled with cups of coffee. 

“Haise, Touka!” Hide grinned, waving at the pair, “I wasn't threatening anyone with bodily harm, I swear!” 

“Uh...huh,” Touka drawled, clearly unconvinced, “Might I remind you, that I am capable of taking care of myself, Mr. Ghoul Investigator?” 

Hide's smile turned cheeky, “That's why I said I wasn't threatening anyone!” 

“Of course you weren't, Hide,” Haise shook his head ruefully, before placing down his burden and bowing to the guests, “Hello. I am Sasaki Haise. Touka and I will be taking care of you today.” 

“It's nice to finally meet you all,” Touka added with a kind smile, “Thanks for putting up with Hide for us.” 

“Oi!” Hide protested with a faint pout. The others ignored him. 

“It's no trouble,” Akira assured the two shop owners with an equally polite smile, “Thank you for having us.” 

“We made some things beforehand when Hide said his squad was coming,” Haise explained, waving his hand over at the trays that were brought out, “They're new dishes, so they're not on our usual menu. I hope you don't mind being taste testers.” 

“Not at all,” Hide assured him, before waving at his squad, “Oh and before I forget, lemme introduce you. These are Mutsuki, Shirazu, Saiko, and Akira. (Akira's our mom, so don't fuck with her!)” 

“Mom who?” Akira growled in a frosty tone. Hide laughed and scratched the back of his head, ignoring her glare. 

“Everything is free of charge for today, seeing as you are doing us a favor, trying out the new food,” Touka smiled, her polite waitress face firmly in place. 

“Really, it is good to finally meet you,” Haise told them, as he started passing out plates, “Hide talks about you guys all the time at home.” 

Hide couldn't help but grin a bit. It was true, Hide often exchanged information with the ghouls of Anteiku on the comings and goings of the Mado squad and the rest of the CCG. 

After a few more bows, Touka and Haise went off to tend to other customers, leaving the Mado squad to their meal. 

“They made...a lot,” Akira commented, eying the pile of dishes before the group. Saiko was already tucking in with gusto, pleased noises spilling out of her between bites of food. 

“Probably Haise's fault,” Hide admitted as he bit into a sandwich, “He tends to go overboard when he's stressing out.” 

“Eh, why is he stressed?” Mutsuki asked as he ate. 

“Haise is nervous about his cooking,” Hide explained easily to his squad mates, settling for a half-truth, “He's kind of an idiot like that.” 

“Why is he nervous?” Mutsuki sputtered, his eyes wide, “The food is delicious.” 

“That's what I keep telling him!” Hide groaned, running his hands through his hair, “But he doesn't believe me because I eat his food everyday. Seriously, having you guys here is great. Now he can have other people tell him that his new recipes are good enough to serve customers.” 

“The coffee is really amazing,” Akira commented, sipping from her cup. Hide nodded enthusiastically. 

“Yeah, best coffee in Tokyo,” Hide agreed, smiling triumphantly. 

In what seemed like no time at all, the investigators had finished their meal. There were leftovers, of course, though not as much as Hide had expected. The food that was boxed would probably be given to Urie, provided that neither Saiko nor Shirazu spirited away with the leftovers. As the squad digested for a minute, Touka and Haise returned to clear the dishes. 

“That was awesome!” Shirazu sighed happily, patting his stomach. 

“Your food and coffee are delicious,” Saiko told the shop owners enthusiastically, “I have to blog about this place!” 

“Agreed, thank you for having us,” Mutsuki nodded, smiling lightly. 

“It's good that Papa has not one but two Mamas to take care of him,” Saiko cheered, having already pulled out her phone to post a message on her blog. Both Touka and Haise flushed at being called “Mama” causing Hide to snicker. 

“Hush you,” Touka grumbled, flicking her blond roommate on the nose. Hide only laughed louder. 

“Hmm...maybe Mama-Touka and Maman-Haise? English and French? That sounds cute,” Saiko muttered quietly to herself as she tapped away on her phone. The rest of the squad ignored her. 

“We'll be heading out now,” Akira announced, smiling lightly as the squad stood from their seats, “Thank you again for the food.” 

Hide whistled happily as he and his squad headed back to work. As far as first meetings went, this one was perfect. Hide gave himself a pat on the back for being right. Meals were the great connector for friends and family. 

– 

“Have a good day!” Haise waved cheerfully as a customer exited :re, a coffee in hand. It was an ordinary day at the coffee shop, and things were going well. Even the visit from the Mado squad a few days ago had gone well. 

Over all, it was a good week. 

The TV on the wall flashed the words “Breaking News” on the screen. At first, Haise ignored it, but then his ears caught enough words to piece together a story of a series of ghoul attacks within the 20th Ward. Kaneki felt a pang of anger. The 20th would always be home, and it was maddening to hear that some strange ghoul was trying to cause unnecessary chaos there. However, there was little that Kaneki can do at the moment. A string of ghoul attacks was sad, but not uncommon, just a miserable truth in a miserable world. 

Then Touka gasped, her eyes wide as she stared at the TV. Kaneki followed her gaze. 

The Mado squad are on screen, obviously the Doves sent to investigate the situation. In the center, with the younger investigators clustered tightly around him, was Hide, a hand gripping tight against a bleeding shoulder. 

– 

If you asked Touka who was the idealist in their little group, she would be quick to point out Hide every time. The human was an optimist to his core, a little ball of sunshine in stark contrast to her practical nature and Kaneki's tendency towards gloom. To be fair, over the past few years, Kaneki's darker moods had become less and less frequent, mainly due to both hers and Hide's influence. Kaneki smiled more, especially when he was wrapped up in playing Sasaki Haise, :re's gentle co-owner. Watching him as Haise was like having the old Kaneki back, despite the disguise. She prayed everyday that the illusion he crafted as Haise wasn't completely a lie. Most days, it wasn't an act. Despite everything he had gone through, Kaneki was still that gentle bookworm she had known, deep down inside. Haise was real; he was Kaneki. 

However, the half-ghoul's mood could still flip like a switch, evidence of a clear divide in his mind. She could hear it in the cracks of his fingers, see it in the ecstatic shine of his eyes when he ate. The ghoul known as Eyepatch still lived, despite the records in the CCG stating otherwise. 

It was Eyepatch who was walking with her now, the pair of them stalking the shadowy corridors of Tokyo's underbelly. They weren't wearing their masks (Doves were rare in this area) but Touka had put on Rabbit's long red wig and Kaneki had taken off his brown one. The half-ghoul had also worn a decorative eyepatch over his right eye as a nod to his old nickname. 

It had become rarer since the Anteiku raid to wear their masks, and when they did, they always made sure to keep themselves from being spotted by the CCG. They didn't need to know that the Eyepatch ghoul was still alive, or that there was more than one Rabbit. Perhaps they should have gotten new masks, but there was little need for face coverings in the first place, seeing as their current policy revolved around staying hidden and keeping away from fights. 

After spending so many peaceful days in hiding, seeing Kaneki cloak himself in his old icy persona was...odd. 

It wasn't just the removal of the wig and glasses that highlighted the switch from kindly Haise to cold-hearted Eyepatch. It was the way he carried himself, the way his gait shifted to a predator's prowl, his form gliding from shadow to shadow like a wraith. 

Sasaki Haise would never walk like that. 

Sometimes Touka wondered if she changed like that too. Did she transform from a polite barista who smiled at her customers to a shadowy creature made for nightmares? Did the tread of her feet become an assassin's lope without her noticing? She didn't know. She liked to believe that no matter what, whether she presented herself as an ordinary human woman or as a ghoul, at her core she was always herself. 

Was Kaneki always himself? The line between human and ghoul was—trickier—for him, and sometimes all she and Hide could do was stand witness to Kaneki's transformations and remind the half-ghoul who he was. 

Tonight, she and Kaneki were hunting a ghoul. The ghoul was new to Tokyo, and had celebrated his arrival to the city in a horrific string of murders within the 20th ward. The CCG had been tracking the ghoul for weeks now, but he would slip from their grasp at the last moment. This is because the CCG's information is incomplete. The ghoul was no more new to Tokyo than Touka was. Perhaps he had been away from the city for a few years, but the ghoul was obviously a native to the city. He was far too familiar with the secret passages Tokyo's ghouls have carved out in the city's underbelly to be anything else. The CCG might be aware of the passages, but the underground labyrinth known as the 24th Ward was ghoul territory, and only one of Tokyo's inhuman children could navigate them to their fullest extent. 

This was where Touka and Kaneki came in. The stupid little newcomer has not only drawn attention to himself, he's drawn attention to the 20th ward. The ghoul has killed and feasted within Anteiku's territory. And make no mistake, this land was Anteiku's, even two years after the CCG raid that destroyed the original shop and scattered its workers. Anteiku still existed through its people and its philosophies. By unwritten ghoul law, the ghoul was a trespasser, and it was well within Anteiku's rights to take care of him. 

Besides, this shitty ghoul has been the bane of Hide's squad for the past two weeks. Hide's been working himself sick, and sleep was scarce for the blond. It made him sloppy, causing him to be injured in the line of duty. At first, Hide had tried to hide the wound from his roommates. A useless endeavor considering they not only saw the wound on TV, but that their superior senses could smell the leaking blood a mile away. Luckily the wound hadn't been deep, but Touka was frustrated that Hide had received it in the first place. If he had been well rested, he might have been able to avoid the blow entirely. At the moment, the human was sleeping peacefully at home while the ghouls got down to business. 

Kaneki spotted the ghoul first. The stranger wore a distinctive mask with a small beak and yellow feathers that has earned him some sort of bird related nickname that Touka doesn't bother remembering. Personally, Touka would call him shitty brat for all the trouble he's caused their human. 

Kaneki is swift and brutal, his kagune molding itself into a sharp three fingered claw to grab the bird ghoul and slam him into the wall. The ghoul struggles for a bit, and even manifests a ukaku in an attempt to shoot bullets at his captor, but Kaneki's grip is iron. The crystals the stranger produces are weak. Kaneki doesn't even bother dodging them, and instead lets the projectiles sink into his flesh. The wounds heal almost instantaneously, and the shards are pushed out of skin as if they were nothing. 

Kaneki's one visible eye narrows, the red of his kakugan a slim burning razor. 

“Be still,” Kaneki growled, his voice frightfully low and rough like a poorly caged beast. If anyone were to hear him in this moment they would never be able to match that cold voice with :re's Sasaki Haise. The bird ghoul slumps, quickly realizing he is outclassed. 

“Is this the one?” Kaneki asks Touka, keeping his prey pinned with his glare and his kagune. Touka pulls out a single sheet of paper, the CCG's seal visible at the top. She skims the contents before nodding. 

“It's him,” she confirmed, before something on the paper caught her eye, “Oh my God...did you see this? The CCG reported that this guy killed four elementary students in the space of a week!” 

Kaneki's kakugan widened with shock, before narrowing again, fury making the red iris shine demonically in the dark. 

“No wonder Hide's been working himself so hard,” Kaneki murmured, his voice a careful monotone. 

Touka tucked the paper away, trying to disguise the way her hands shook with rage, “How do you want to do this?” 

“Well, we brought _that_ , so we might as well use it,” Kaneki shrugged. Touka nodded and began rummaging in the large duffel bag she had slung over her shoulder. Ah, there it was. She quickly fished out the object and handed it to Kaneki. The captured ghoul's eyes widened when he saw what Kaneki held. 

It was an unadorned katana. Or more precisely, it was Hide's quinque. 

“What are you going to do to me?” the ghoul caught in Kaneki's kagune asked fearfully. Kaneki's visible eye crinkled up in a chilly smile. 

“Us? We're not going to do anything to you,” Kaneki replied, tapping the sword against his thigh in a steady beat. One, two—one, two. 

“The CCG, however, is taking your head tonight.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Since the CCG don't get to capture Kaneki/Haise, things are very different. One of those differences is that there is no Quinx squad; no half-ghoul to base research on, no Quinx. Instead, the four (not) Quinx are ordinary human investigators, and together with Akira and Hide, make up the Mado squad. Due to being formed of mostly junior investigators, the Mado squad is known for being a teaching squad, and thus are taken a little less seriously. (More on that later.)  
> Obviously, there are other differences (such as the simulated human meat experiment). I'll get more in depth with all the various changes as the story goes on.


	3. Meat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I need to memorialize this moment,” Hide deadpanned as he took another picture, “Haise—you and your book addiction are amazing. I must tell everyone.”

Hide loved his roommates. He really did. But sometimes they put him in the most awkward situations. He knew they were trying to be helpful, but having to make up some story of how he eliminated a ghoul without fucking up the details was hard. It was good that he had a reputation of making traps and fighting dirty, because there was no way in hell that he would have been able to convince anyone that with his injured arm, he and the ghoul duked it out fair and square. At least Hide had a full night of sleep, otherwise who knew what sort of stupid story he would spit out? 

“Good work on taking out Canary the other day,” Rank 1 Itou Kuramoto congratulated Hide as their squads passed each other in the hall. While most of his subordinates smiled proudly at Hide, the blond could feel Urie's glare boring into his back. Really, the whole situation was...troublesome. Attempting to mask his discomfort, Hide grinned and rubbed the back of his neck. 

“Thanks,” Hide said bashfully, embarrassed at having to take the credit for another person's kill, “It wasn't anything really. My squad mates were the ones who gathered all the necessary info. I just got lucky, and was at the right place at the right time.” 

“Don't be so humble, Nagachika,” Kuramoto laughed, patting the younger investigator on the shoulder, “You did good work. Besides, I heard you were quite cool looking, coming in with coffee for your squad in one hand and a ghoul's head in a duffel bag in the other. Very bad-ass.” 

“Kuramoto, I always bring coffee,” Hide protested weakly, wishing the floor could open up and swallow him whole. Really, the whole bad-ass thing was really Kaneki and Touka's schtick. Between the three of them, Hide was supposed to be the cheery approachable one, not the scary guy that walked into work with a bloody head in a bag. 

...Which he totally did. Fuck. 

“You're funny,” Kuramoto snickered, giving Hide another friendly pat, “Good luck on your next mission. Not that you need it, Mr. Bad-ass!” 

Hide could sense Urie's glare intensify without having to turn around, and barely suppressed a groan. Today was going to be a long day. He wondered if he could convince Akira to let him hide in the archive room, and just read over old case files all day. That would be far more preferable than suffering through glares and undeserved praise. 

To Hide's disappointment, he was unable to escape. Akira was insistent upon having the full squad meeting, even though Saiko was playing a game under the conference table, and Hide was begging Akira with his eyes to end the meeting early. The rest of the squad was barely paying attention either. Urie was still too busying trying to burn a hole into Hide's brain with his eyes alone, and Shirazu was covering up yawns. Only Mutsuki, good child that he is, was paying close attention to the meeting. 

Akira had Hide go over the details of Canary's demise. Hide tried to keep the story simple, but Akira kept asking for clarification. Hide's clever enough to keep his story straight, and he made sure not to embellish. However, there is no way around it; Hide has to tell his squad that he went after Canary alone. Personally, Hide knows how stupid going ghoul hunting solo is, and does not want to encourage it. Akira is obviously irritated with his solo act as well. She won't scold him now, not with the kids present, but Hide knows that as soon as they are alone, she is going to tear into him without mercy. 

Hide tried to suppress another wince. He _knew_ Akira's history. After losing Amon and Takizawa during the Anteiku raid, and then later losing her last squad in a bad mission in the 16th Ward, Akira was overly cautious in regards to those working directly with her. She was almost a mother-hen at times, though she hid it well behind a stoic demeanor. 

(Hide felt guilty, and not for the first time.) 

“Now that Canary is dead we have been assigned a new case,” Akira announced, breaking Hide from his train of thought. 

The squad perked up a bit (except for Saiko who was too absorbed in her game). 

“Our new target is a ghoul named Torso,” Akira continued, handing out papers to everyone, “We will be working in conjunction with Inspector Shimoguchi's squad.” 

“This ghoul gets around a lot doesn't he?” Shirazu muttered, looking at the map with all the little marks where Torso had made a kill. The marks were scattered all over the city in a large radius. 

“We'll track him down, don't worry,” Hide said confidently, “He's only A-rank. He won't give us any trouble.” 

It takes all of a day for the whole mission to go tits up. 

– 

In the Kaneki/Kirishima/Nagachika household it was well known that Touka was the earliest riser, or at least the most coherent in the mornings. Kaneki usually spent mornings slumped over the table, his dual-colored hair sticking up in wild spikes, until the first cup of caffeine hit his system. Thanks to the late nights at the CCG, Hide never looked much better early in the morning, though at least he could hold a conversation. As a result, morning coffee shifts at the apartment were Touka's domain. 

“Thank you, Touka,” Kaneki groaned gratefully when she placed his usual cup in front of his nose. Touka merely rolled her eyes. 

“You know, you would be more awake if you didn't spend most the night reading,” she chided the half-ghoul as she placed a hand fluffed cappuccino and two slices of toast in front of Hide. Kaneki made a noncommittal sound in his throat before gulping down the dark ambrosia. 

“You are a goddess,” Hide sighed into his own mug, relaxing as sugar, cream, and caffeine hit his tongue, “Seriously, if it was just me and Haise, we'd just conk out on the table and never get anything done.” 

“Again, you have only yourselves to blame,” Touka sniffed as she took a seat at the table with her own cup, “Honestly, Hide, you work too hard. I thought you would catch a break after the last one.” 

“Not my fault this time,” the blond groaned, taking a viscous bite of his bread, “First Class Shimoguchi is being an asshole.” 

Touka arched an eyebrow. It was unusual for Hide to gripe about one of his coworkers. 

“Oh?” 

“Our squads are working a case together,” Hide said, gesturing with his hands, “Target's a ghoul called Torso.” 

“Torso?” Kaneki murmured, the caffeine starting to kick in as his eyes focused, “Is he causing trouble in the 20th Ward?” 

“No, not yet,” Hide sighed, running a hand through his hair, “But he does get around a lot, not to mention he kills too much, _way_ more than is needed to survive. And there's like a—a fetish to his killings too. It's creepy. We don't know what affiliations he has, if any at all, and he bounces all over the place, not contained in any particular Ward.” 

“Is he someone we need to worry about?” Touka asked with a frown. Hide shook his head. 

“The CCG is handling him,” Hide replied as he nibbled his toast, “Or we would be if Shimoguchi would be more fucking helpful, the prick.” 

“That bad?” Touka murmured sympathetically. 

“You have _no_ idea,” Hide groaned, leaning back in his chair, “Shimoguchi seems to think that because Mado squad has a bunch of junior investigators we aren't worth shit. Trying to get information from him is like pulling teeth. And he's an asshole in general to my squad. I'll show him! Me and the kids are gonna identify Torso first and rub it it in Shimoguchi's face! Yeah!” 

Touka laughed as Hide pumped his fist in the air, grinning triumphantly. She smacked his arm lightly. 

“Don't call them kids,” Touka mock reprimanded him, “They're not that much younger than you, and they're _my_ age.” 

Hide winced, “Yeah but you're, you know, mentally a mature woman. My kids are still, well, _kids_. They might be ghoul investigators, but they have no idea how the world works yet. I kinda want them not to grow up so fast, like we did.” 

Touka nodded slowly. She could understand that. She was old before she was in high school. 

“How are your subordinates handling this Shimoguchi?” Kaneki asked, a worried furrow to his brow, “They're pretty new to being investigators. It's not good for them to deal with workplace harassment so early.” 

Hide shrugged helplessly, “Well you know how it is. They act tough, but it's not an ideal scenario. I wish they would talk to me or Akira about it, but even though we're their mentors, we're also their superiors. What they really need is someone not related to the situation to vent to.” 

“What about us?” Touka suggested, her eyes brightening with the idea, “Hey, Hide, tell them that they're welcome at :re. We'll give them a 10% discount. Everyone likes discounts, and everyone talks to baristas.” 

“I dunno if they'll appreciate the special treatment,” Hide sighed, fiddling with his half-eaten toast. 

“Then tell them the discount is for all CCG personnel,” Touka huffed, “It's not that uncommon.” 

Hide hummed to himself, before grinning at her, “Sure, why not. If nothing else, you'll get yourself some business.” 

–

If you asked Hide, the best coffee in all of Tokyo was found in :re. He might be a little biased on that, but it was very good, ridiculously so. When possible, he recommended the little coffee shop to people he met, words of praise dropping easily from his lips. However, while he was at the CCG office, he tried to only occasionally talk about the place. Touka made it clear that she didn't want any new Doves haunting her cafe. The Mado squad was alright, but _no more._

Hide did his best to follow Touka's wishes. He was smart like that. 

However, Touka did say that she wouldn't mind the Mado squad visiting again. She had even invited them herself. Hide nodded sagely to himself. Touka really was kind. 

“Hey,” Hide announced at the end of the latest squad meeting, “Um, so you guys remember my roommates, right? Haise and Touka.” 

“Yes (you don't shut up about them)” Urie replied. Hide mentally winced. He didn't talk about them _that_ much. Sure, he praised :re's food and drink often, but it wasn't like he talked much about his roommates themselves in front of everybody. 

_(During the last CCG celebration, Suzuya Juuzo had thought it funny to exchange Hide's drink with something a little stronger. At first, Akira had been concerned that her cheerful subordinate would be a bad drunk, becoming clingy and loud. Instead—_

_While drunk, Hide kept babbling in a hushed and reverent voice about the way Touka's hair fell across her face in gentle waves, and how Haise's slim fingers would turn the pages of a book. It was almost cute how he kept waxing terrible poetry, his tongue tripping on itself. But as the night went on, his eyes grew shadows. Hide had hiccuped about how he was terrified that one day his job would take them away, his precious people, his family._

_“So afraid,” Hide mumbled into his glass, unusually morose, “What if, one day, they—they...If they died, it would be my fault. P-people following me.”_

_“Are you worried that ghouls might attack them to get to you?” Akira had asked at the time. Hide's drunken rambling had paused as a strange expression settled across his face._

_“Any ghoul that messes with those two will wind up very,_ very _dead.”)_

“Well, my roommates are having a special at their coffee shop,” Hide explained casually in the present, “10% discount to the CCG. You guys should take advantage of it.” 

“Oh, does that include food too?” Saiko asked excitedly, practically bouncing when Hide nodded an affirmative, “Awesome! I'll go! I've been waiting for an excuse to see Mama and Maman again!” 

“Sounds nice. I really did enjoy the coffee there,” Akira agreed, a thoughtful expression on her face, “And you said a 10% discount for the whole CCG? I'll spread the word around.” 

For a split second, Hide's face was frozen in bewilderment before it smoothed over into his usual happy grin, “Thanks Akira, I'm sure they'll appreciate the business.” 

Internally, Hide cursed. Touka was going to kill him. 

– 

Touka wasn't sure if she wanted to kill Hide or kiss him. Probably both, and by the way Kaneki kept rubbing the joints of his fingers, the half-ghoul would help her in her plot against their human. For the past couple of weeks :re had been frequented by ghoul investigators. On one hand, it was great for business. On the other, it was bad for her nerves. 

So far it looked like no one had noticed that she and Kaneki were ghouls, but Touka still had a deep seated desire to hide in the kitchen with Haise whenever an investigator came around. Luckily, besides Mado Akira, no one high up in command had visited yet. 

Well, at least as far as Touka could tell. It's not like she asked the Doves their rank whenever they ordered a mocha. In her mind though, the only Doves that came to visit were Rank 1 and below. Hide had said that his squad had a reputation of being a training squad due to it being made of primarily fresh graduates, so it made sense that the Mado squad's circle of contacts consisted mainly of junior investigators. Nothing Touka couldn't take care of. 

Still, Touka had to admit she was a touch jealous of Kaneki. Haise was :re's cook/baker and was expected to spend a lot of his time in the kitchen. Touka, however, was supposed to greet the customers at all times. Her boys owed her. They owed her _so_ much. 

Touka had just finished waving goodbye to some customers when someone new walked in. 

“Welcome to :re,” Touka greeted politely as usual. The customer was someone she had never seen before, but judging by his white coat, formal attire, and large briefcase, Touka assumed he was a Dove. 

The newcomer didn't look all that terrifying though. Despite his stern expression, the white-haired Dove was wearing delicate wire frame glasses which had to be a weak point during a fight. 

Touka showed the customer a seat at the bar, and took his order (one cup of black coffee and a chicken sandwich). She put the ticket in for the kitchen, and started making the coffee. A few moments later, a sheepish Haise exited the kitchen, and bowed politely to the customer. 

“I am sorry, sir,” Touka's business partner apologized, “We're out of chicken. Is there something else I could make for you?” 

“Anything is fine,” the Dove replied, in an even voice, “Nagachika said your food was good, so surprise me.” 

Haise's face brightened, “Oh, you know Hide?” 

“He lends me books occasionally. I've been busy, and haven't been able to borrow any lately.” 

“So that's where they've been going,” Touka huffed as she placed the requested coffee in front of their customer, “Sir, if you want any more reading material, you can just come here instead of waiting for Hide. The books are actually part of :re's collection, and our customers are welcome to read anything on our shelves while they're here.” 

“You can also take them home if you like, if you promise to return them,” Haise added enthusiastically, “I can give you recommendations too. What was the last thing you read?” 

“Kafka's _Metamorphosis._ It was very good.” 

Haise nodded happily, and pulled down a well loved paperback from the shelves, “That's an old favorite of mine. Here, try Takatsuki Sen's _Dear Kafka._ It's brilliant!” 

The Dove smiled slightly as he took the book, “Thank you.” 

“No problem,” Haise grinned, “Maybe the next time you stop by you can stay awhile and discuss the book.” 

Touka laughed, and gave her roommate a soft shove, “You just want someone to geek out with. Please sir, do come back. Haise has been looking for a book buddy for ages. Hide and I can't keep up anymore. Even Hinami-chan can't match Haise's appetite for literature.” 

The Dove nodded as he touched the cover of _Dear Kafka_ with gentle fingertips, “Of course. I'll return this.” 

Haise bowed once again, “Please, feel free to get started on the novel while I make your food.” 

– 

That night during dinner at the apartment, Touka looked Hide in the eye and smiled. 

“I forgive you, Hide.” 

The blond blinked, his fork halfway to his mouth, “Eh? For what?” 

Touka smiled patiently, but the corner of her eye twitched, “For having Doves descend upon :re, you ass.” 

“Ahaha...” Hide laughed nervously, easily recognizing the legendary Kirishima temper peeking through Touka's politeness, “Um, have I said that I'm sorry about that? Because I am. Deeply sorry.” 

“And like I said, I forgive you,” Touka replied, smiling like a Bodhisattva, “But don't get any ideas. I'm doing this for Haise's sake.” 

“Ehhh?!” both men sputtered in confusion. Touka simply took a calm sip from her coffee. 

“Haise made a new friend today,” Touka explained, sounding like a proud parent discussing her child's accomplishments at school. 

“Really?!” Hide asked excitedly before his gaze darkened, “It wasn't a _boy_ was it? Touka, our precious Haise-chan can't be taken away by some boy!” 

“'Haise- _chan'_?!” Kaneki hissed, glaring at Hide. His roommates ignored him, already wrapped up in a ridiculous role-play aimed at turning Kaneki into a ghoul tomato. 

“Of course it was a boy, Hideyoshi,” Touka replied tartly, though a faint teasing smile was on her lips, “He was very sweet.” 

“Seriously?!” Kaneki groaned, burying his head in his hands as a headache started to form, “Guys...” 

Both Touka and Hide continued to ignore him. Although Hide and Touka wore serious expressions on their faces, the twitching of their mouths hinted at the wicked smiles that were threatening to bubble up. 

“Acting sweet means he's trying to steal our Haise away,” Hide sniffed, crossing his arms, “He was probably some muscle bound type with a motorcycle, wasn't he? Haise, dear, don't be fooled. You deserve better.” 

“You ride a motorcycle,” Touka pointed out, arching her brow. 

“That's different,” Hide scoffed, waving his hand imperiously, “Don't worry Haise-chan, no one is going to steal you away from me and Touka. You're our precious—haha—princess.” 

Kaneki was too busy thumping his head against the table to make a response, the tips of his ears bright scarlet. Forget the CCG, his roommates were going to be the ones to kill him by _embarrassing_ him to death. 

“Actually, dear, Haise's new friend seemed to be very intellectual,” Touka said, her lips trembling in an attempt not to burst out laughing, “He and Haise bonded over books. It was very charming.” 

Kaneki wished it was possible to slide under the table and disappear. But, knowing his roommates, they would probably just join him under the table and continue with their banter at his expense. 

“I hate you both, so very much,” Kaneki grumbled into the wood of their kitchen table, “Hide, please stab me with your quinque. It would be kinder.” 

Hide and Touka couldn't hold it back any longer. They fell against each other, giggling helplessly. 

– 

Just because Hide got off days from the CCG, it didn't mean his work with ghouls came to an end. After a call from Nishiki, he and Touka had headed off to meet with the older ghoul and his human girlfriend. Kaneki, having drawn the short straw, was left behind to tend to :re. 

When Hide and Touka entered Nishiki's apartment, the pair couldn't help but grin. Nishiki's phone call had been good news. The prototype for synthetic flesh was almost finished. 

Nishiki had presented them with a device about the size of a microwave. It still had an unfinished look to it, but it was much farther along than when Hide had seen it last. 

“It's still a prototype, you know,” Nishiki sighed as he gestured to the machine Kimi was tinkering with, “But we've gotten some good results.” 

“The problem with the original CCG model was that it focused too much on producing specific organs,” Kimi explained cheerfully as she tightened a screw, “And that's not very efficient.” 

“How so?” Touka asked, frowning at the device. She couldn't make heads or tails of the machine, but she supposed that was only natural. Hide also stared at the device with curiosity, his head tilted to one side. 

“What's harder to make, an engine or a metal brick?” Nishiki put forth, gesturing absentmindedly with a pen, “An engine is far too complicated if all we want is a paperweight.” 

“Instead of producing a specific organ, like a heart, this machine takes a sample of human tissue and forces the cells to rapidly split,” Kimi added, carefully putting it in layman's terms, “We care less about the form and more about having a large amount of the right kind of tissue.” 

“This isn't any sort of new technology. We have been able to replicate cells for decades,” Nishiki frowned, tapping his pen against his arm, “There are several immortal cell lines used in research. However, they are difficult to access for the ordinary civilian. Not to mention, they taste disgusting and have almost no RC-count.” 

“Can you explain more?” Hide asked, tilting his head curiously. 

“An immortal cell line are groups of cells that can populate indefinitely due to a mutation,” Kimi clarified, “Many of them were harvested from cancer patients. There are several human immortal cell lines used in research. But there's a problem; they are specific groups of cells. No current immortal cell line has RC-cells. The most common cell line, HeLa, even has an irregular number of chromosomes. Any meat produced by the current immortal cell lines would be the equivalent of junk food for ghouls. Only not as tasty.” 

“RC-cells have a difficult time replicating,” Nishiki grumbled with a hint of frustration to his voice, “Most humans are born with a stable RC-cell count that barely fluctuates as they grow. Humans rarely see their RC count rise, even by a single point. However, there is one disease that can cause a human to produce more RC-cells.” 

“You're talking about RC-cell Over-Secretion, or ROS,” Touka guessed as she recalled reading about the strange human illness, “There's no cure for it, correct?” 

“You're right,” Nishiki nodded, “No one even had a guess on what caused ROS, until our research. While we still don't know everything about ROS, we have a better idea now, enough to replicate the effects of the disease.” 

“That's what this machine does,” Kimi said, patting the prototype next to her, “It takes in a sample of human flesh or blood and forces the RC-cells to replicate as if afflicted with ROS.” 

“Isn't that dangerous?” Hide asked worriedly. Kimi shook her head. 

“It's like any appliance,” Kimi explained, “It's only dangerous if you stick your hand inside. Otherwise the casing will act as a shield. After we have enough RC-cells, we can lace them together with other kinds of human cells to form simulated meat and blood.” 

“Unfortunately, using this machine will require human donors,” Nishiki frowned, idly tapping his pen against his arm, “It shouldn't be too bad though. According to Kimi's calculations, a single normal blood donation will be able to feed a family of ghouls for three months.” 

“T-that's amazing! You guys are awesome,” Hide gasped, his eyes shining. He and Touka exchanged excited grins. This was the best news they've heard in well...ever. 

Kimi giggled, “It wasn't just us. Quite a few medical students at Kamii participated in this project. Remember, I said I would use it in my degree? We're the first to replicate an RC-cell artificially. Of course, only Nishiki and I focused on the angle of making it a food source for ghouls. Our research also has a lot of benefits for human medicine too.” 

“This research can be used to help cure ROS,” Touka assumed. Kimi nodded with a faint smile. 

“I'll say it again,” Hide grinned, “That's amazing!” 

Nishiki rolled his eyes. 

“Oi! Don't be so excited,” the orange-haired ghoul groaned, “Only one part of the problem is the technology. The other part is the _cost._ That's what killed the project back in the CCG, remember? Our solution for simulated meat has to be cheap if it's going to widely used. And right now, Kimi and I are running out of funds for the personal side of our project.” 

“Wait, seriously?!” Hide yelped, his heart sinking, “But you're so close!” 

“Trust me, it's frustrating for us too,” Kimi sighed, “We only really need to tweak the taste and lower the cost of production a bit more. Nishiki says there's a funny aftertaste to anything produced by the machine. It's important our product tastes like the real thing, or else not enough ghouls will want to switch to synthetic flesh.” 

“So right now, your problem is taste and cost, right?” Touka mused, a thoughtful look on her face. The older pair nodded. 

“That's right.” 

Touka smiled, a soft sly smirk curling over her features, “Then, I think I know a solution...if you can put up with it.” 

– 

When Touka showed up the next day at Nishiki's apartment with Tsukiyama Shuu behind her, Nishiki almost choked on his tongue. He almost went ballistic on them (Nishiki had never forgiven the handsome ghoul for kidnapping Kimi) but had eventually calmed. Taste and cost...those were the last troublesome problems for their project. Tsukiyama could solve both of those problems, provided that Nishiki didn't kill the bastard first. 

A few weeks later, Nishiki still felt like strangling the other ghoul on sight. All he heard day after day were complaints. This one tastes too sour. This one's texture is rubbery. This one is completely dry! Ugh, disgusting! 

Fucking Gourmet. Bastard had forced Nishiki and Kimi to sink their time into improving the taste first before working on anything else. Two days ago, Nishiki and Kimi had finally gotten rid of the strange aftertaste from the synthetic meat. To Nishiki's palate, the samples were actually quite good. However, Tsukiyama was harder to please, and since he was now the one paying for the project, Nishiki and Kimi were bound to his whims. 

At the moment, Nishiki was at Tsukiyama's house with a bag full of the latest samples. Nishiki really hoped that at least one of the ones he brought was good enough. If not, he was going to have to break down and beg Kaneki for a blood donation to put in the machine, and there was no way in hell that Nishiki was stupid enough to get close to the halfbreed with a needle. 

“Here, you shitty bastard, try this,” Nishiki grumbled as he shoved a Petri dish at Tsukiyama. The model-like ghoul let a mocking smile curl over his face. Nishiki grit his teeth and tried not to imagine shoving his fist through the other ghoul's teeth. Not for the first time, Nishiki was glad he had convinced Kimi to stay at home today instead of dealing with Tsukiyama. 

“Oh Nishiki, even after all your time training in a cafe you have no concept of presentation,” Tsukiyama sighed as he shook his head ruefully, “Don't you know? If you want your food to get to the next level, to be truly _magnifique,_ you must think of _presentation!_ ” 

“Whatever, you crazy narcissist,” Nishiki muttered, still holding the Petri dish out, “Kimi worked hard to make this. Just eat the damn thing.” 

Tsukiyama sighed dramatically, “If you insist.” 

The well dressed ghoul took the Petri dish with a flourish, produced a pair of chopsticks from his pocket, and delicately plucked the offered scrap of flesh. Nishiki rolled his eyes at Tsukiyama's dramatics as the taller ghoul popped the sample into his mouth. 

There was complete silence for a good minute or two. Slowly, Tsukiyama swallowed. 

“Well?” Nishiki snapped impatiently as he crossed his arms and tapped a foot, “What do you think?” 

“ _Tres bien!_ ” Tsukiyama crowed, his face alight with joy, “The texture—so soft, like a cloud! Smooth like silk! Excellent, excellent!” 

“Mm, I guess that makes sense,” Nishiki mused, quietly pulling out a notebook and scribbling down a short note, “They're new cells, so I guess they would be tender.” 

“Ah, like veal,” Tsukiyama sighed wistfully, his expression dreamy, “I must say, you have come quite far from your first prototype.” 

Nishiki grunted and jotted down a few more notes. Tsukiyama didn't even know the half of it. He hadn't been there two years ago to see the first failed versions of the project. 

“The big problem now is the cost,” Nishiki muttered quietly, “We need to figure out a way to make this machine ready for mass production.” 

“Well, my friend, you will continue to have the full support of the Tsukiyama family for your research,” Tsukiyama assured, clapping Nishiki on the back, “Anything you need is yours.” 

A brow raised over Nishiki's glasses, “I thought you would have little interest in 'fake food'.” 

“ _Au contraire,_ ” Tsukiyama countered, waving a finger, “I have no interest in fake _tasting_ food. Molecular gastronomy has become quite the rage. The marriage of cutting edge technology and the kitchen—that union will produce the greatest delicacy. With your machine, a special meal can even be enjoyed multiple times! Ah, how _magnifique!_ ” 

– 

It was a surprise to the Mado squad when, during their weekly visit to :re, they had aquired two tagalongs. And not just any tagalongs. There wasn't anyone within the CCG that didn't know about Suzuya Juuzo and Arima Kishou. 

“Hiiide~!” Juuzo cheered, running up eagerly to the blond, “Am I finally going to get to meet the people that make your snacks?” 

“Yep,” Hide nodded enthusiastically, giving the shorter investigator a high-five, “I already texted Haise to bake extra cookies, and I know for a fact that Touka restocked on hot chocolate. It's really amazing. You'll love it.” 

“I'm surprised you found the time to come with us,” Akira commented to Arima as Juuzo and Hide chatted happily, “You're usually too busy to do anything other than fetch a book from Nagachika.” 

“I promised I would come,” Arima said simply. 

Akira arched a brow, “When?” 

Arima didn't answer. 

“Welcome to :re,” Touka's voice greeted the group when they entered the coffee shop, “Please take a seat.” 

“Touka-chan!” Hide cheered when he saw her. He ran up, picked up the barista, and spun her around playfully. 

“Put me down, Hide you idiot!” Touka laughed as the blond grinned at her. 

“Never!” Hide teased, hugging her fiercely. Touka swatted him playfully over the head, forcing him to let go, before glancing over at the others. 

“Oh, it's you!” Touka smiled when she saw Arima, “Welcome back. Do you want me to get Haise for you?” 

“Please,” the white-haired investigator nodded. Hide looked back and forth between them. 

“You guys know each other?” 

“This is Haise's new book buddy remember?” Touka reminded Hide, “We talked about him the other day. You thought he rode a motorcycle.” 

Hide gaped freely, allowing Touka to slip away and call for Haise in the kitchen. Snickering, Juuzo elbowed Hide in the ribs. 

“You'll let the flies in, Hide,” Juuzo cautioned playfully. Hide closed his mouth with a snap. 

“Sorry, I'm just surprised that a certain someone didn't tell mention he had already been here before,” Hide muttered, side eyeing Arima. The older investigator ignored the blond. 

“Sooo...that was Touka-chan, hmm? She's cute,” Juuzo hummed, grinning at Hide. 

“Not you too!” Hide mock sighed, “Seriously, like I told Shirazu here last time, no going after Touka-chan! By the way, Shirazu...” 

Shirazu groaned, his face flushing, “Geeze! I got it the first time! No more threatening my eyes with a freaking spoon!” 

“Haha, you're really protective of her, eh, Hide?” Juuzo giggled, poking the blond in the side, “And your other roommate too. Haise, right? You're protective of them.” 

Hide scratched the back of his head sheepishly, “Well, yeah.” 

“They're your most important things,” Juuzo nodded sagely, an odd smile touching his face, “How cute! Don't worry, Hide, I'll leave them all to you, you greedy bastard, haha!” 

“Thanks buddy!” Hide grinned, slapping Juuzo on the back. Juuzo grinned back in response. 

“Give me a steady supply of snacks, and I'll even help you terrorize Shirazu's eyeballs!” 

Shirazu lept back from them, “Fuck you guys!” 

“Enough,” Arima murmured, causing the younger investigators to freeze, “You'll scare away the guests.” 

“Ah, sorry.” 

“So rowdy,” Touka tsked, as she and Haise entered the main room from the kitchen. Haise's eyes lit up when he saw Arima. 

“Ah, Investigator-san!” Haise greeted happily while quickly wiping his hands with a towel, “Did you finish the book?” 

Arima nodded gravely, in stark contrast to Haise's enthusiasm, “Yes, it was very good. Takatsuki is very talented.” 

“Isn't she?” Haise nodded, almost gushing over his favorite author, “Wait right here, I'll get one of her other—” 

_FLASH!_

Haise yelped, blinking spots out of his eyes. After a second, he saw the source of the sudden bright light. Hide had his phone out and was snapping pictures with a dumbfounded expression on his face. 

“What was that for?” Haise demanded, rubbing his eyes beneath his glasses. 

“I need to memorialize this moment,” Hide deadpanned as he took another picture, “Haise—you and your book addiction are amazing. I must tell everyone.” 

Haise raised an eyebrow, “You are acting strange. Couldn't you have at least turned off the flash?” 

“You're strange,” Hide countered with a smirk as he held up his phone, “Trust me, we'll laugh about this later.” 

The half-ghoul rolled his eyes before turning back to Arima, “Excuse us, sir. I'll bring the book to you after the meal.” 

“Thank you,” Arima nodded as Haise headed back to the kitchen. Touka, in the meantime, pulled out her memo book to start taking orders, swatting Hide lightly as she did so. 

“Idiot, don't make fun of Haise,” the woman hissed, “It's good that he has a friend to share his hobby.” 

Hide grinned at her, “Oh trust me, Touka, this is great.” 

“I thought you were worried that Haise's new book buddy was going to steal Haise away from us?” Touka drawled, one slim eyebrow arched. 

“Nope,” Hide said cheerfully, winking at Arima, “He's not that kind of guy. Besides, this is really, really great. You'll see.” 

Touka rolled her eyes before turning to the rest of her customers, “If you say so, Hide. What can I get started for you all to drink?” 

— 

“Ahhh, that was great!” Juuzo sighed, patting a full stomach. Lunch break was almost over, and the investigators were preparing to go. 

“That hot chocolate was really amazing,” Juuzo told Touka as the group of investigators stood up from the table, “I think I've only been to one other place that was as good as this one, and that cafe doesn't exist anymore. And Haise's food is really good! I'll have to tell my squad about this place.” 

“Thank you,” Touka smiled kindly, bowing to her customers, “Please, come again.” 

“Sure!” Juuzo agreed, before tilting his head to one side and studying her face, “Hey, Touka-san, make sure you take care of yourself, okay? Hide's a good friend, and I think he'd go crazy if anything were to happen to you or Haise.” 

Touka laughed, “You don't have to worry about me, sir. Haise though...he can be a complete weakling sometimes. He's very soft.” 

“Yeah, he looks like the kind of guy that could get robbed any second,” Juuzo agreed, nodding vigorously. 

“Oi!” Haise huffed as he walked up to the group with a book in hand, “I'm not that bad.” 

“Haise,” Touka sighed fondly, “The last time you were pickpocketed you didn't even report it to the police.” 

“That was years ago!” Haise protested, amidst giggles from the others. 

“Oh, if that's the case, here,” Juuzo chirpped, suddenly thrusting a couple of bills into Haise's hand. Haise's hands instinctively closed around the money before his eyes widened, and he tried to hand the bills back. 

“I can't accept this!” Haise cried out, but Juuzo simply skipped out of reach. 

“Sorry, consider it a return payment!” Juuzo laughed as he danced out of the door and out of sight. 

“B-but!” Haise sputtered, still holding the bills. 

Akira sighed, “Just keep it, Haise. Juuzo's a bit strange, and returning it would probably make him upset.” 

“Just make him some snacks later, if it bothers you so much,” Hide suggested, “He always likes the ones I bring to the office. Just make something sweet, and I can bring it in tomorrow.” 

Haise sighed, defeated, “Alright.” 

“That's the spirit!” 

“Oh!” Haise smiled, turning to Arima and thrusting the book he carried forward, “I almost forgot. I thought you would like Takatsuki's _Salt and Opium._ No rush on returning it. Please enjoy.” 

_CLICK!_

Hide not so subtly snapped another photo. Both Haise and Arima ignored him. Akira rolled her eyes, and grabbed the collar of Hide's shirt, dragging him out of the cafe. 

“See you guys at home!” Hide called out before the door shut behind him. Touka laughed quietly in amusement. The rest of the Mado squad exchanged the usual farewells before they too left, leaving Touka and Haise alone with Arima. 

“Thank you, Haise,” Arima nodded, taking the book. 

“Wait!” Haise called out, just as Arima turned to leave, “This is embarrassing, but last time, we never got your name.” 

A small smile touched the ghoul investigator's face. 

“Arima Kishou.” 

And then, the Reaper was out the door and out of sight. 

Haise started at the closed door, his eyes comically wide. Touka was also open mouthed in shock, her face pale. 

“Touka?” Kaneki said faintly. 

“Yes?” 

“I'm going to kill Hide.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Having having Kaneki and Touka as roommates is like having pet cats for Hide; they're cute, adorable, and prone to leaving you dead things as gifts.  
> Thank you TG:re chapter 42 for ROS. It fit nicely into my mumbo-jumbo pseudo-science spiel. And thank you Nishiki and Kimi for being pharmacy/med students. And yay for Wikipedia articles on immortalized cell lines and HeLa. I always did wonder why synthetic flesh for ghouls was never really a thing in canon, but if we play with the idea that RC-cells (the actual fuel for ghouls) are hard to replicate, then things fall into place.  
> I couldn't resist bringing in Haise and Arima's book club into this fic. I can't get Dad!Arima and GoodSon!Haise, so I guess I have to settle for them being book bros. At least I get a little Mom!Akira.


	4. Friend

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Akira smiled thinly, “We're ghoul investigators. Most people are nervous around us.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone for all the kind comments, kudos, and bookmarks. :)

“Hahaha,” Hide laughed hysterically on the couch, “Your faces! Priceless!” 

“It's not funny!” his roommates snapped simultaneously. The three of them were back at their apartment after a day highlighted by a visit from the boogeyman of ghouls, Arima Kishou himself. Touka and Kaneki had spent much of the afternoon jumping at shadows, and both were a bit frazzled. In contrast, Hide was currently lounging on the couch snickering at his two friends looming over him with identical scowls and kakugan active on their faces. 

“Why didn't you say anything about Haise's new friend being the fucking CCG's Reaper?” Touka growled furiously, her fingers curling in such a way that it was obvious she was holding back from throttling her human roommate. 

“I didn't know until today, and I wasn't going to blurt out anything at :re. You two would have freaked out in front of everyone,” Hide defended himself, still chuckling lightly, “Come on guys, this is awesome! The CCG's Reaper and SS-rate Centipede bonding over books! It's great!” 

“No, it's not! And don't call me that!” Kaneki snapped, rubbing his temples, “What if Arima figures it out?” 

“Yeah, idiot Hide,” Touka snarled, her red eyes practically glowing, “He'll kill us!” 

“He's not going to figure it out if you act normally,” Hide huffed, sitting up properly and turning to face to his roommates, “Just act like you did today.” 

A cold scoff fell out of Kaneki's mouth, “Like a complete mess?” 

“Like the giant dorky nerd you are!” Hide corrected, jabbing a finger at Kaneki, “Seriously, you guys were totally cool with him until he told you his name. Look, it's just like interacting with my squad and all the other ghoul investigators that go to :re. Be normal.” 

“Hide, we fucking eat people!” Kaneki snapped, pulling at his dual-colored hair in frustration, “We're not normal!” 

Hide put on a serious face, his brown eyes filled with kind understanding, “Normal is a relative term, Kaneki. Look, if you just keep thinking of him as your book buddy instead of Arima Kishou, scourge of all ghouls, it'll be okay. Even better than okay.” 

Touka pursed her lips, “How so?” 

“People tend to overlook the faults of people they like,” Hide explained seriously, “And Arima definitely liked you guys. If you play it cool, Arima's going to continue liking you guys, and be less suspicious of you. And if Arima doesn't suspect you, no one else in the CCG will either!” 

“That's risky. And dumb. Risky and dumb,” Touka growled. 

“And yet workable,” Hide argued, throwing up his hands, “Look, we're already doing this whole hide in plain sight gig, anyway. The CCG isn't going to think ghouls are going to invite the CCG over for fucking coffee, let alone offer 10% discounts. This is the same thing! No one is going to look at Arima's book buddy as a ghoul because that's crazy! What ghoul would be friends with the Reaper? And it's not like you guys can ignore him now; he's supposed to return your book.” 

Kaneki sighed, deflating a bit, “Arima would actually get more suspicious if we turned a cold shoulder to him. Maybe Hide's right.” 

Touka frowned, “But he's the CCG's Reaper! Fuck, Yomo is _not_ going to be happy about this, at all!” 

“We have to act normally _because_ he's the CCG's Reaper,” Kaneki stressed, his face caught in an expression somewhere between Eyepatch's icy indifference and Haise's warm concern, “We make one mistake, and we're dead. But that was already true before Arima entered the picture.” 

“Don't worry, Touka-chan,” Hide assured her with a kind smile, “Remember, we're all in this together. We can do it.” 

Touka sighed, and ran a hand through her hair mussing it up, “Alright fine. We'll just act like he's an ordinary customer. But if he makes Haise cry, I'm poisoning his coffee.” 

Hide cheered, giving the woman a high five, “That's the spirit, Touka-chan!” 

Kaneki face-palmed. 

– 

The next time Arima visited :re, Touka couldn't help but be on edge. Luckily, she didn't have to interact with him much, seeing as Kaneki happily chatted away with the white-haired investigator about their favorite novels. Touka had to hand it to the half-ghoul; no one looking at Sasaki Haise would know that he was skittish. She suspected that Kaneki had simply compartmentalized his perceptions of Arima, shoving his various thoughts and opinions into neat boxes in order to cope. 

For Touka it was a bit harder. Arima was a living legend, a nightmare made flesh for ghouls. If ghouls were the monsters under the bed, then Arima was the monster all the other monsters were scared shit-less of. 

So, Touka just watched as the Reaper and Kaneki chatted away, looking like a pair of normal friends hanging out over coffee and books. Hide was right; it actually was funny, in a strange way. If Kaneki took off the shaggy brown wig he currently wore, with their pale hair and glasses, the two of them would look like _family._ That was a strange thought. 

But now that the thought was in her head, Touka kept seeing it. Arima reminded her very strongly of Kaneki. The grayed hair and love for books, the distance they put between themselves and others—even their extraordinary combat talent and frightening reputations—were all strangely similar. It was a little eerie, yet comfortable, and Touka found herself relaxing slightly. 

“I'm sorry, Arima-san,” Haise said sheepishly as Touka subtly moved closer to the pair, “I've got to start preparing more food for the store. I'll be back once I put the scones in the oven.” 

“Take your time,” Arima replied as Haise slipped back into the kitchen. Touka took the opportunity to snag Haise's spot, pursing her lips thoughtfully at Arima. 

“Yes?” the Reaper asked calmly. Touka sighed. 

“Hide and I love Haise very much,” Touka told him seriously, as she studied the investigator, “He's very important to us, and I'm glad he has a friend that shares his interest in books. But I can't help but worry about him. There's been a few people who have noticed his hobby, and used it to take advantage of him.” 

Touka grimaced at the memories that surfaced. Rize and Tsukiyama were the big offenders. Both ghouls had used Kaneki's joy of books to lure him into traps and a false sense of security before. He had been injured and nearly eaten before. Kaneki was intelligent, and could be ruthless at times, but books were a soft spot. 

“How so?” the white-haired investigator asked in the present, curious about Touka's last comment. The short-haired woman decided to mix a little fact with fiction. Hide always told her the best lies were the ones grounded in truth. 

“A girl he met lured him into a date because they were reading the same novel,” Touka began, her expression downcast, “Turned out she was a ghoul. Haise was lucky that Hide was around.” 

“Is that how you three met?” Arima prompted, “Did you meet during one of Nagachika's cases?” 

“Yes,” Touka nodded, trying to keep the lie simple, “Maybe I'm being overprotective—” 

Arima cut her off, “No, it is understandable. A ghoul attack is very traumatizing. But I promise, I'm not here to hurt Haise.” 

Touka's eyes narrowed as she leaned forward, crowding Arima's space, “Promise?” 

Arima smiled slightly, the expression almost invisible, “I promise.” 

Touka sighed and leaned back, closing her eyes, “I'll hold you to that. Just so you know, ghoul investigator or not, I'll poison your coffee if you upset Haise.” 

Arima looked amused more than anything else at her declaration. 

“Aaaand I'm back!” Haise called out cheerfully as he exited the kitchen. He looked back and forth between Touka and Arima in confusion, “Did I miss anything?” 

“No, nothing,” Touka replied as she let him back into his spot and pecked his cheek as she left, “Have fun, Haise.” 

– 

Kimi bowed politely as she exited her university adviser's office. Just as she was closing the door, she was mobbed by a group of fellow students, all of them talking excitedly. 

“Is it true?” 

“I heard it from Yamada who heard it from Sakamoto—” 

“Oh my God, Nishino, you have to be excited!” 

Kimi laughed, waving her hands at the group, “One at a time, please! What's going on?” 

“We heard that there's a bunch of companies interested in your work on RC-cells,” one student babbled excitedly, “There's talk about you doing a press conference!” 

“Ah, yes,” Kimi confirmed, smiling shyly, “It won't just be me, though. The whole team at Kamii will be presenting.” 

“It's going to be on national news!” another student squealed, “You're going to be famous!” 

Kimi laughed again, and waved the other students off. 

“Please, I'm just an ordinary graduate student,” Kimi protested, “And there are others on the team. It's not a big deal, honestly.” 

– 

As soon as Kimi crossed the threshold of her apartment, she breathed a sigh of relief, glad to finally be alone. She had been crowded by various students and professors all day, congratulating her on her accomplishments. She was so young, they murmured, to have already made such an advanced discovery. She tried to laugh them off, pointing out her classmates, her teachers, everyone else who worked on the project, but everything kept coming back to her. Even the others who worked on the RC-cell project praised her, referencing the extra hours she put into the project, and how she always seemed to come in each day with an improvement. If anyone was to be lauded, they said, it had to be Nishino Kimi. 

But really, it hadn't been just her. It was painful, but she couldn't tell anyone about Nishiki's involvement. Whenever she brought her research home, Nishiki helped her make a new discovery. They made the project a success _together,_ and she would never be able to tell anyone. Nishiki was still in hiding, even though he had a reluctance to let go of her. She worried about him everyday. Was he hurt? Had he been caught? Was he in trouble? Were any of his friends in trouble? Did he have enough to eat? 

Unconsciously, her hand clenched over her scarred shoulder. Even through the fabric of her shirt, she could feel the rough furrows of the scar on her skin, impressions of Nishiki's teeth on her body. She had to take care in covering the mark, fearful that if anyone saw they would be able to guess what had happened, but she always felt the scar was beautiful in a way. It connected her to Nishiki. It was a reminder that no matter what, even with their different species dividing them, she would always be part of him and he a part of her. 

Suddenly, she felt another person's hand cover her own, forcing her palm to press into the raised welts of her scar more firmly. She was startled, but unafraid, recognizing the hand against her own. She tipped back her head, and like Eve in the Garden, looked into the face of a Serpent. 

“Hello, Nishiki,” Kimi smiled, staring at the red and black eyes peeking through the holes of the snake-themed mask. 

She couldn't see his mouth, but she could tell by the way his inhuman eyes tilted that he was smiling back at her. 

“Hey Kimi,” Nishiki greeted softly, his voice echoing strangely within the confines of his mask. Kimi lifted her hands up and tugged at the facial covering. He let her undo the strap, revealing his visage. Slowly, she moved her hands, mapping out the contours of his face, her fingertips brushing against the bulging veins around his kakugan. Her hands trailed down, resting against the corners of his mouth. His tongue flicked out, snake-like, to taste her skin. 

She should be afraid. She is not. 

“I heard the news,” Nishiki murmured, leaning into her caress, “Congratulations.” 

“I couldn't have done it without you,” Kimi told him, “I wish you could be there, standing next to me.” 

“Don't sell yourself short. You did the bulk of the work. Besides, I'll always be with you, even if I can't stand next to you,” he promised, turning his face to fit his nose into the palm of her hand. He closed his eyes and breathed in deep. 

“Maybe, if this is a success, you could stand with me,” Kimi suggested softly as his tongue slips out again to lap at her skin, “We can change the world with our discovery.” 

Nishiki snorted, though his mouth curled into a faint smile against her skin, “You're too optimistic, like Nagachika. Is that a common trait among humans?” 

“One should hope for the best,” Kimi said. 

“And prepare for the worst,” Nishiki retorted, black and red eyes opening to stare at her sardonically. She pinched his nose, causing his expression to melt into something a little softer. 

“Come on,” Kimi whispered, “Come to the bedroom and congratulate me properly.” 

Nishiki grinned widely, all too happy to comply. 

– 

Banjou Kazuichi lived in a modest residence along with three of his closest friends and a girl he saw as family. He had lived there for two years now, ever since Kaneki had formed their group on his quest against Aogiri. While Kaneki no longer lived with them, the half-ghoul often visited, usually with his current roommates in tow. 

It was amazing how peaceful life had become, compared to two years ago. While danger still lurked, it was not nearly as close as before. They rarely got into fights in the recent years. And Kaneki was certainly more stable. While that cold ruthless side of him never really went away, his gentleness was more prominent. Banjou guessed he could thank Touka and Hide for that. 

Life was good, or at least as good as it could get while being a ghoul. Banjou was optimistic for the future. 

_Ding dong!_ The chime of the doorbell rang throughout the house. 

“I'll get it!” Banjou yelled. As soon as he opened the door, he groaned. On the other side in all his colorful glory was Tsukiyama. 

“ _Bonjour,_ Monsieur Banjoi!” Tsukiyama greeted, mangling Banjou's name as usual, “Is Hinami in?” 

Banjou was about to reply a negative when Hinami herself appeared behind Banjou with a bright smile on her face. 

“Hello, Tsukiyama,” Hinami waved, “Are you here to pick me up?” 

“ _Oui,_ ” the handsome ghoul replied, bowing to her elaborately, “If you have no objections, _mademoiselle,_ Kanae will be joining us as well.” 

“That's fine,” Hinami assured him, “Just remember to drop me off at :re at one o' clock. I have a shift starting then.” 

“Wait, where are you guys going?” Banjou asked, protectiveness over Hinami swelling up. 

“The bookstore,” Hinami replied, “Tsukiyama offered to take me.” 

“The bookstore?” Banjou echoed. 

“Yes,” Hinami nodded, “I heard Onii-chan made a new friend at :re, one of his human customers. According to Hide-nii-san, they formed a book club. I think I would like to join!” 

“Oh? Maybe I should join too, hmmm?” Tsukiyama purred. 

“You should ask Onii-chan,” Hinami suggested. 

“Mmm...are you ready to go then?” Tsukiyama checked. Hinami nodded. 

“Take care,” Banjou sighed, waving them off. 

“Oh, Monsieur Banjoi,” Tsukiyama snapped his fingers and turned, recalling something, “I almost forgot...There's going to be a meeting at :re with all the regulars tomorrow. Don't be late.” 

Banjou nodded, recognizing Tsukiyama's words for what they were. It sounded like Anteiku had some ghoul related news to share with everyone. 

Banjou sighed again as soon as the pair were gone. Tsukiyama was difficult to get along with and impossible to trust, but Banjou knew the narcissist would never do anything to Hinami. It wasn't just because Banjou knew Hinami could take care of herself, or that Kaneki would gut Tsukiyama if anything happened to the girl—Tsukiyama honestly cared for Hinami, maybe viewing her as a friend. It was an odd friendship, an not necessarily one that Banjou fully supported, but Hinami was happy and safe. Besides, everyone agreed that Tsukiyama had eased up on his creepiness over the years. 

Banjou would probably never get along with Tsukiyama. But Banjou could trust the handsome ghoul to protect Hinami. And for now, that was enough. 

– 

Hide sighed he slipped his phone in his pocket. Yet again, Urie had declined to visit :re along with the rest of the Mado squad. Hide couldn't force the younger investigator to join everyone, but Urie's anti-social tendencies were becoming a problem. 

“Urie being an asswipe again?” Shirazu asked, clearly unimpressed. 

Hide shrugged and put on his usual smile, “He's just busy. Anyway, I figured that since we're kind of on a deadline, we could take a working lunch today. :re has a backroom, and if we ask Touka really nicely, we might be able to use it so we can have some privacy.” 

“Makes sense,” Akira agreed, nodding curtly, “Having lunch and our meeting at the same time means less time wasted. Mutsuki, take notes for Urie.” 

When the squad entered :re, Hide pulled Touka aside and requested to use the backroom. She quickly agreed, ushered the investigators to the room, and took their orders. 

:re's backroom was lined with shelves, most of them containing tins filled with coffee beans. The fragrance from beans was wonderful without being too overpowering. There weren't any chairs within the room, but Touka allowed them to grab a few from the front room, along with a small folding table she pulled out from somewhere. 

“Thanks for this,” Hide murmured to Touka as she finished setting up the room for them. 

“No problem,” Touka replied easily with a smile, “Someone will come by shortly with your drinks. I'll put a sign on the door to let everyone know to knock. Let me know if you need anything.” 

With that, she closed the door, leaving the squad in peace. 

Akira began passing out papers. So far, due to poor collaboration with Shimoguchi's squad, the investigation on Torso was going nowhere. Shimoguchi irritated Hide to no end. Yes, the Mado squad was made up of mostly rookies, but Akira at the very least deserved some respect. She was probably one of the strongest investigators the CCG had. In addition, both Akira and Hide were veterans of both the Owl Suppression Mission and the Aogiri Countermeasures Force. 

In someways, Hide knew that quite a bit of the disdain that was directed to the Mado squad was his fault. A former Division II member, Hide was used to fighting ghouls using his mind, not his body. As a result, he was nearly as much of a rookie as his subordinates when it came to fighting with a quinque. Urie usually beat Hide 3 out of 5 sparring matches, unless Hide got to cheat. 

That didn't mean that Hide was weak. He knew a few flashy maneuvers and fought dirty as hell. Sure, he lost in spars, but in actual no holds combat? Hide could hold his own well enough. 

Still, it was a bit embarrassing. One of the mentors for the Mado squad was weaker than one of his subordinates? Pathetic. Hide should go back to Division II, where he belonged. Marude certainly wanted Hide back. 

Hide always declined though. It wasn't wise to return to Division II. That was where the strategists and thinkers gathered. A single misstep in that place could cause any number of terrible things to happen. Touka and Kaneki could get discovered. 

But beyond that, he owed Akira. He owed Akira so fucking much, and she didn't even know. 

_(A memory flutters through his head. In the memory, Hide standing with his fists clenched at his sides. Across from Hide there is red hair, red eyes, and red lips stretched into a beautiful smile. The counter-top of a bar separates Hide from the smiling redheaded barkeep. There are four glasses sitting on the bar, one filled with a foamy beer, the other three filled with a dark red liquid that Hide recognizes but carefully doesn't think too hard about. None of the drinks were touched. Kaneki and Touka flanked Hide, worry etched deep on their faces._

_“Do you know how many squads were completely decimated? Akira was the only survivor!” the Hide from over a year ago bellowed at the redhead across from him, frustrated tears in his eyes, “Damn it, you were only supposed to warn the ghouls away—why did it turn out like this? I thought we were friends!”_

_“We are friends, Hi-chan,” came the gentle rebuke, as long hair was flipped back casually,“But don't forget—what you want isn't what always what others want.”_

_Kaneki and Touka both have to hold Hide back. Or rather, they have to hold him up. He's angry and sad, and everything is just so fucking messed up..._

_“That's not right,” Hide choked out, stubbornly refusing to cry, “It didn't have to be this way! People didn't have to die!”_

_“So idealistic,” was the sighed response, both fond and exasperated, “Even more than Kanekichi in the beginning. I guess that's why I like you so much.”_

_Hide's fists clenched, the knuckles turning white._

_“Let's go, Hide,” Touka whispered in his ear, “Let's just go.”_

_Hide lets his friends drag him away. His heart is heavy with the knowledge that even though he wasn't there when those investigators died, he had killed them as surely as if he had stabbed them himself. Their deaths were his fault, because he didn't play the game carefully enough. He had been too arrogant._

_In a way, Hide's thankful for the lesson. He just wished he never had to learn it the way he did.)_

– 

Akira was a hard worker. Regardless of how rough her squad was right now, it was her duty to turn them into top investigators. After what happened to her last squad, Akira was going to train this one up properly, even if it would be an uphill battle. 

“Now,” Akira began, as she stood, hands on her hips, “I want to hear—” 

She was interrupted by a soft rapping of knuckles on the door. 

“Come in!” Hide called out. The door swung open revealing a bespectacled teenaged girl with brown hair carrying a tray of drinks. 

“Hi, Hinami-chan!” Hide greeted the girl, “I thought your shift was going to be later today.” 

“I switched with Nishiki,” Hinami explained as she passed out the drinks. 

“Well since you're here, lemme introduce you to my squad,” Hide offered, “Guys, this is Sasaki Hinami. She's Haise's little sister.” 

“Pleased to meet you,” Hinami gave them all a polite bow. 

“Hinami, this is Mutsuki Tooru, Shirazu Ginshi, and the half-asleep girl is Yonebayashi Saiko,” Hide continued, pointing to each of his subordinates as he went along, “And last but not least is our squad captain, Mado Akira.” 

“Pleasure to meet you, Sasaki-san,” Akira smiled kindly. Hinami stared at the blond woman, frozen for the briefest of moments before she answered, her hands clasped in front of her. 

“Pleased to meet you too, M-Mado-san,” Hinami replied, only slightly stuttering over Akira's name, “Please...call me Hinami.” 

After another round of bows, Hinami left, promising to come back soon with their food. 

“Hinami-chan is pretty cute,” Shirazu murmured absentmindedly after the waitress had left. 

“Shirazu. Eyes. Spoon. Got it?” Hide grumbled. 

“I meant in a objective sense!” Shirazu protested, flushing lightly, “Damn, you're overprotective.” 

“You don't have to worry about me this time,” Hide laughed with a playful wink, “Haise might be a softie, but he _will_ cut out your eyes and eat 'em if you went after his little sister.” 

“Sassan's a nice guy, he wouldn't do that. Stop being fucking gross,” Shirazu groaned, banging his head lightly on the table. 

“I wonder why she was nervous,” Mutsuki mused, tapping his chin, “We aren't scary, are we?” 

Akira smiled thinly, “We're ghoul investigators. Most people are nervous around us.” 

“Hinami-chan is just like Haise,” Hide explained with a small laugh, “They're shy bookworms through and through.” 

“Anyway, let's get back to work, people,” Akira sighed as she passed around papers, “We're going to break up into groups and do some research. Mutsuki, you'll be with Nagachika. Shirazu with Urie, and finally Yonebayashi, you'll be with me.” 

“Awww,” Shirazu and Saiko chorused together. Akira ignored their protests. 

“Mutsuki, you and Nagachika will go around questioning the victim's families,” Akira ordered, “Shirazu, confer with Urie on what he's found out. I have a feeling that he's found an angle that he hasn't shared with everyone yet. Yonebayashi, we'll be sorting through the current information and double checking the archives. And no falling asleep!” 

“Kay...” the blue-haired girl yawned distractedly. Akira sighed in frustration. 

“I expect all of us to work together to make this mission a success,” Akira said sharply, “Good luck everyone.” 

– 

As the Mado squad prepared to leave :re, Hide pulled Akira aside. 

“Something wrong?” Akira asked, raising an elegant brow. 

“No, not really,” Hide shrugged nonchalantly, “I have a friend, Nishino Kimi. She's a graduate student at Kamii University. As part of her degree, she's been studying RC-cells.” 

“Ah, I think I've heard about this at the office,” Akira recalled, frowning thoughtfully, “Is she part of the team working on replicating RC-cells?” 

“Yeah, that's her.” 

“R&D is interested in that research,” Akira said thoughtfully, her lips pursed, “They think it might be the key to making cheaper RC-suppressants.” 

Hide paused to think. Cheaper RC-suppressants...He had been so wrapped up in how this new technology could be used to feed ghouls he hadn't really thought of other applications. At the moment, RC-suppressants were expensive to make. The drug was made by dissolving ghouls into a liquid solution for their RC-cells. A disturbing process if you asked Hide, and one that was not often talked about within the CCG. 

The machine that Kimi and Nishiki had worked on—if the sample they put in the machine came from a ghoul instead of a human, the product _could_ be used as a base for RC-suppressants. 

Hide licked his lips before asking Akira, “Do you know if anyone is going to go to the press conference?” 

“From the CCG you mean?” Akira clarified, “Yes, of course. This research will be incredibly beneficial to us. We might be able to have more RC-suppressant grenades issued to field agents. Right now a squad is lucky to have one available to them at any given time, as you well know.” 

“Yeah,” Hide agreed, even as his heart started to speed up. 

Akira flashed Hide a brief, but reassuring smile. 

“You must be very proud of your friend, her research could really change the world,” Akira commented to the other blond, “In the meantime, let's collect the others and get back to work.” 

Hide gave her a cheeky smile and saluted, “Yes, ma'am!” 

– 

“What's taking them so long?” Shirazu grumbled quietly. He, Mutsuki, and Saiko were waiting outside of :re's backroom for their superiors to finish up with whatever secret huddle they were having. 

Mutsuki sighed, “Shirazu—” 

“Oh hey, you guys are still here,” Haise's kind voice interrupted the three of them. The investigators turned to see Haise standing behind them, two large sacks tucked under each arm. 

“Holy shit, Sassan, those look heavy,” Shirazu blurted out, reaching out to grab one of the sacks. Haise let him take the bag with a faint _oof._ Mutsuki took the other sack, nudging Saiko to grab one of the sack's corners. 

“Haha, thanks,” Haise laughed, rubbing his chin, “You really saved me. I thought I was going to have to struggle with those for hours.” 

“Hey no problem,” Shirazu shrugged, as he slung the sack he had taken over one shoulder, “We're ghoul investigators—we're trained to do some heavy lifting.” 

“Where do you want these?” Mutsuki asked, gesturing his head to the backroom that Hide and Akira were still talking in, “In there?” 

“No, these are supposed to go into the kitchen,” Haise corrected as he lead the way. The three nodded and followed him. 

:re's kitchen was very neat and organized, filled with diligently cleaned chrome counter-tops and cookware. On autopilot, Haise grabbed a sensible green apron from a peg on the wall and tied it around his waist. At his direction, the investigators carefully placed the sacks against the wall. 

“Thank you,” Haise smiled again, “Ah, would you three like some cakes or cookies to bring home as a token of my appreciation?” 

“Yes, please!” Saiko cheered eagerly, looking far more energetic than she had at the meeting. Haise nodded, and started pulling out some takeaway boxes and packing away the treats. 

“Hey, Sassan,” Shirazu began, “I was just wondering...How did you, Touka, and Hide meet? I mean, it's kinda weird, a ghoul investigator living with a bunch of restauranteurs.” 

“Mm, I suppose,” Haise nodded in agreement, as he scratched his chin again, “Touka and I met on the job. We were trained by the same person. Hide...well, let's just say Touka and I ran into some trouble with ghouls awhile back, and Hide helped us out.” 

Haise paused, a small smile on his face, his eyes a million miles away. 

“To put it simply, Hide saved us,” he murmured softly as his hand fell away from his face. 

The three investigators stared at Haise as the wistful smile on his face strengthened to something a bit brighter. 

“So yeah, that's why we all live together,” Haise said sheepishly, scratching the back of his head, “The three of us are very close, even though our professions are so vastly different.” 

“Aren't you scared, Maman?” Saiko blurted out, her eyes wide, “Papa's job is dangerous. Doesn't Maman and Mama want him to quit?” 

“Sometimes,” Haise admitted freely, “Hide is very precious to us...but we have to trust that he'll take care of himself.” 

Mutsuki blinked, “What do you mean?” 

Haise hummed, before answering, “Sometimes Hide comes home complaining about other investigators who are part of the CCG for glory and promotions. But being a ghoul investigator is about protecting lives, right? And one of the lives you have to protect is your own. Once you die, that's it. So we have to trust Hide that he'll protect himself...And that he will come home everyday.” 

Mutsuki frowned a little, “You still sound worried.” 

Haise smiled again, looking at all three of them in the eyes, “Well, that's what you're here for, right? Touka and I are trusting you to take care of him, just as he was entrusted to take care of you. While we can't be there at the CCG with him, you can be there to make sure he doesn't get hurt or tries to get in over his head. Hide sometimes takes risks and that's...scary.” 

Shirazu opened his mouth to ask a question when suddenly the kitchen door opened and Touka poked her head in. 

“Oh there, you guys are,” Touka huffed, “Akira and Hide are looking for you three.” 

“We better go,” Shirazu sighed. 

“Thanks for the cake,” Saiko chirped as Haise handed over a few boxes to her and Mutsuki. 

“No problem,” Haise laughed as he shooed them out of the kitchen. The three young investigators followed Touka out to the front room. 

“Hey,” Touka began, biting her lip, “Look, maybe this is kind of forward of me or whatever, but if you need either Haise or me for anything, we're available. You guys are important to Hide, so you're important to us, understand?” 

The trio nodded. 

Touka sighed, “Good. See if next time you can get the mysterious Urie-kun to visit us too. Hide and I have been scheming to stuff him full of Haise's cookies as punishment for snubbing :re for so long.” 

“But Mama!” Saiko whined, “That's not punishment! Maman's cookies are delicious! Can't you just give them to me instead?” 

“And Urie hates sweet things,” Shirazu added. 

“Here's the thing, we're going to give Urie-kun a chance to redeem himself for his rudeness, but if he says anything bad about Haise's cooking, then Hide and I get to punch him,” Touka smirked, hands on her hips. 

“...Are you sure you should be threatening a ghoul investigator?” Shirazu asked. 

Touka shrugged, “Why not? I already threatened to poison Arima's coffee if he upsets Haise.” 

Touka ignored their dumfounded looks as she waved goodbye. 

“Wow, Touka-chan is pretty cool,” Shirazu murmured quietly after Touka had disappeared. 

“Don't let Nagachika-sempai hear you say that,” Mutsuki cautioned with a playful smile. 

“Yeah, you might not have any eyes by tomorrow!” Saiko added, a devious smirk lighting up her face. Shirazu merely rolled said eyes at his teammates. 

– 

Later that evening, :re had already closed its doors for the day, and its staff was finishing closing up. However, it didn't mean that the cafe was empty. Besides three humans (that being Hide, Kimi, and Hori Chie) the shop was filled with ghouls. 

Kaneki couldn't help but feel a bit bad for Hide. The blond was currently flopped over one of :re's tables, his cheek mushed against the polished wood. Touka placed a cappuccino in front of Hide's nose and gently patted the blond's cheek. 

“Don't worry, Hide,” Touka soothed as Kaneki came over and added a plate of cookies next to Hide's drink. Their human roommate just stared at their offerings blankly. 

“I'm just overworked...I'm okay,” Hide mumbled, pulling his cappuccino over, “We were getting nowhere with the investigation, so Akira had us train for the rest of the day. She chased me around the gym with her quinque for two hours. Two hours! She even nicked my side a little!” 

“You know, you could always quit the CCG and work for us at :re,” Kaneki offered gently. Hide snorted. 

“Oh no you don't,” Hide countered, pointing mock accusingly at his oldest friend, “I can see right through you. You and Touka just want me to be your taste tester and feed me until I'm fat and complacent! Well, I'm sorry to tell you, I worked hard to get these abs and I'm keeping them.” 

“Haise kept his abs without having to work for the CCG,” Touka pointed out. 

“Haise also eats less than I do, and doesn't need to worry about the temptation that is his sugar cookies,” Hide sniffed, “If I worked here I'd eat all of them. Fuck the customers. All your cookies are mine.” 

As if to prove his point, Hide shoved an entire cookie in his mouth chewing noisily. Touka's face became a mask of disgust as she swatted the human lightly. 

“Gross,” she gripped as Kaneki laughed softly at his roommates. 

“We've got good news,” Nishiki offered, putting his arm around Kimi, “Kimi is going public with our research. The press conference will take place in a few days at Kamii University.” 

Instantly, cheers and applause went out from assembled group. 

“How exciting!” Hinami cried out, a wide smile stretched across her face. Next to her Banjou and his three friends whooped in agreement already toasting each other with their coffee cups. 

“Yes, _tres bein_!” Tsukiyama agreed, leering at Nishiki, “I'm glad to see my investment wasn't wasted. Produce wonderful dishes for me, hmm, Nishiki?” 

“Fuck you, Gourmet,” the bespectacled ghoul responded, flipping the other off. Kimi smacked Nishiki on the arm. 

“Hush, Nishiki,” Kimi pouted before she bowed politely at Tsukiyama, “Tsukiyama-san, thank you so much for your help.” 

The tall ghoul stared in astonishment for a moment before a prod from Hori caused him to incline his head gracefully. 

“You are most welcome.” 

“Do you want any of us to come to the press conference with you?” Touka asked curiously. 

“That's probably not wise,” Hide interrupted before Kimi could reply, to the surprise of the others, “Look, it's an announcement on RC-cells. I already talked to Akira. The CCG is going to send agents in person, and are going to watch the videos after.” 

“It's probably best if we aren't seen there,” Hori added, sharing a nod of agreement with Hide, “If any of us are recognized, we don't want to explain why we were so interested in the subject. Even if we can explain it away as being there as support for Kimi, the CCG is still going to double check everyone's backgrounds. We shouldn't risk it.” 

“That's true,” Nishiki agreed, though he had a frown on his face, “But I do want to be there to support you, Kimi.” 

Kimi laughed and patted his shoulder, “Did you say yourself that even if you can be there for me in person, you'll always be there in spirit?” 

“Yeah,” Nishiki murmured, lacing their hands together and giving a gentle squeeze. 

– 

**Omake:**

Sometime after Arima had left :re, Touka and Kaneki were cleaning up together, grateful that the Reaper hadn't noticed anything off about them. Suddenly, Touka turned to Kaneki, her eyes wide. 

“Hey, Haise,” Touka blurted out, “Did Arima-san ever actually hand any of your books back?” 

Kaneki froze, his eyes wide, before his features smoothed out to the usual smile he wore as Haise. 

“I'm sure he just forgot,” Haise assured her, “He'll give them back to me next time.” 

Meanwhile, at CCG headquarters: 

“Nagachika,” Arima greeted, causing the younger investigator to turn around. 

“Arima, hey, what's up?” Hide smiled. Quietly, Arima handed over Haise's copies of _Dear Kafka_ and _Salt and Opium._

Or rather he handed over what was left of them. Both books had giant holes punched straight through them. 

“Holy shit!” Hide squeaked, staring at the ruined tomes, “What did you do?” 

“I was reading during one of the Whack-a-mole missions,” Arima said with a straight face, “The ghouls did not appreciate my choice of reading material, even after I switched novels.” 

Hide gaped at the white-haired man, “You mean you let some ghouls murder two of Haise's books? And you were reading while fighting?!” 

“They were both very engrossing,” Arima confessed. 

Hide pulled a face, “I hope you bought replacements. Or else Haise is going to be upset, and then Touka-chan is going to poison your coffee. ” 

Arima almost looked offended, “Of course. I was even able to get first editions. They just came in the mail today.” 

“I can't believe you got two of Haise's books killed,” Hide muttered under his breath, “Please say you killed the ghouls who did it. Oh wait, what the hell am I saying? You're Arima. Of course they're dead.” 

Arima reached into his coat and handed Hide the replacement books. 

“Will you give these to Haise with my apologies?” Arima asked. 

“Sure,” Hide nodded with a laugh, “Damn, but this is going to be a funny story for later.” 

Later: 

Kaneki stared wide eyed at Hide as the blond finished relaying the tale, his fingers tight on his new books. 

“Ghouls murdered my books?” the half-ghoul repeated incredulously. Hide nodded gravely. 

“Totally obliterated,” Hide confirmed, “But at least Arima got you replacements.” 

“Yeah, that was very nice of him,” Kaneki smiled softly, “First editions too. Do you know how hard it is to get a first edition of _Dear Kafka_? And look, it's signed too! Wait right here, I'm going to shelve them next to my other copies.” 

“Wait, you already had other copies of those books?” Touka blinked in confusion. 

“Of course!” Kaneki huffed, “Doesn't everyone have two copies of their favorite books?” 

Hide and Touka shared a glance before shrugging. Kaneki and his book obsession were weird.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kaneki has double copies of most of his books: one “clean” copy and one “personal” copy that he uses to write notes in the margins. In college, it was highly encouraged in my own literature classes to write notes in books while reading. I figured that Kaneki (being a literature student) would have the same habit, but would feel very guilty about “ruining” a book, thus prompting him to buy two copies.  
> So after TG:re ch. 52, Dad!Arima became ScaryDad!Arima in canon. (GoodSon!Haise needs so many hugs, because his relationship with Dad!Arima is so _very_ complicated.) I have feelings about TG:re ch. 52, so many feels. As more of Arima's personality is revealed in canon, _A Pound of Flesh_ may or may not shift accordingly. At the moment, I'm going with the assumption that Arima is not a _complete_ machine, and has a human side. We do see some of his humanity in canon (ex: challenging people to spars on top of an office desk and jokingly calling the Quinx his grandchildren). APoF!Arima gets to show off more of his humanity than in canon because in APoF, Arima is usually off the clock and isn't expected to act as the undefeated ghoul investigator. Arima's portrayal can (and _will_ ) change as the story progresses, because just like in canon, Arima is a multifaceted individual. APoF!Arima off the clock will likely show a different face than APoF!Arima on the clock.  
> In case anyone is curious, here is the current employee list for :re (those using aliases have their public name in parentheses.)
> 
>   * Kirishima Touka (Yomo Touka) – Manager/barista
>   * Kaneki Ken (Sasaki Haise) – Assistant Manager/cook
>   * Fueguchi Hinami (Sasaki Hinami) – part-time waitress
>   * Yomo Renji – waiter/stocker
>   * Nishio Nishiki – waiter
> 

> 
> Yes, Hinami and Kaneki are posing as brother and sister. The ruse is made a little more believable thanks to Kaneki's brown wig. Hinami also dons a pair of glasses while working. Just like in TG:re, Yomo and Touka are pretending to be siblings as well.


	5. Ideal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The 20th? With the peace-crazed idiots of Anteiku gone, what's left there?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: canon-typical violence.  
> Check out my tumblr: notitlesapply.tumblr.com

Touka has to admit, it's much easier to pretend to be human when she's living with one. There are nuances about being human that she overlooks far too easily. For years, even though she knows that she has to go grocery shopping to play at being human, she never was very careful at what she bought. In the past she bought cheap things without any thought of what they were. Human food was human food: disgusting. 

It's Kaneki that teaches her the errors of her ways. It's too suspicious if she gathers all of her items from one isle in the store. It's also strange to buy nine cartons of milk unless she's planning a party. She also has to be choosy when picking fruits or vegetables. If a cucumber is soft or if a banana is turning brown, they're no good. And then there's the idea of pantry staples, perishables, and preserved food. Some food can stay good for months and others last only a few days. How strange. 

It's strange and complicated (and a little harder on her wallet) but nowadays her human act is damn near perfect. It's also less wasteful. Before any food she bought was thrown away—now Hide is there to eat it. 

(Thinking back on it, that's probably what caused to her father to get caught. He had cooked well enough, but most of it went to the trash, causing suspicion.) 

Just as Kaneki is the one doing all the cooking, Touka does most of the food shopping for their apartment. She didn't mind, even though she can consume none of it, because it helped solidify her identity to any outside observers. She did find it a bit ironic that it's the ghouls that are the ones involved in all the food preparation. Honestly, Kaneki and Touka spoiled their human. Hide's culinary expertise never grew beyond to boiling water for a cup of noodles after the three of them moved in together. 

If Touka was being completely honest, she would have to admit that both she and Kaneki lived vicariously through Hide when it came to food. They can't eat the food they prepare, but each pleased grin from Hide as he ate was like a gift, a window into a world that is barred to ghouls. 

Touka was walking home with eggs, bread, milk and six apples. It took her ages to decide on the which fruit to buy. She used careful fingers to check for soft spots and keen eyes to evaluate the color. Touka likes apples; whole ones aren't fragrant enough to make her gag when smelling them. 

As she walked, Touka pulled out her phone to check her messages. There's one from Kaneki informing her that they're all out of eggs. With a soft chuckle, Touka began typing out a quick text to let him know that she has it covered. She was too engrossed with typing out the message that she doesn't notice when she walked straight into someone. 

“Damn it!” Touka groaned in disappointment as her purchases fell to the ground. 

“I'm sorry, are you alright?” 

Touka tilted her head up, recognizing that ever professional voice. 

“Mado-san, hello,” Touka greeted, giving Hide's squad leader a polite nod. Akira looks just as startled as Touka feels. 

“Touka-san,” Akira replied as the younger woman took stock of her bags. To Touka's chagrin, the milk carton had burst open and the apples were woefully bruised. Worst of all, it was obvious that all the eggs were smashed. 

“Shit, Haise's eggs!” Touka cursed. She should have kept a firmer hold on the food. 

“I'll buy you replacements,” Akira offered. 

“No, it's fine,” Touka refused automatically. The ghoul didn't want to admit it, but she was uncomfortable around Akira. It's not because the older woman is a Dove. It has nothing to do with that. 

Touka killed Akira's _father._ While Touka refused to feel guilt over saving herself and Hinami, she will always regret that she had hurt the crazed Dove's _family._ She knew the Dove she had fought and killed had people that missed him, but before it had been an abstract sort of knowledge. Seeing Akira in the flesh—it's a miracle that Touka can look Akira in the face. 

“It's my fault that you lost all your groceries. I insist that I pay for more,” Akira said stubbornly, her jaw set in firm lines. 

Before Touka knew it, she found herself side by side with Mado Akira picking out apples. Touka is a little dismayed. A ghoul shopping for food with a ghoul investigator. If he knew, Ayato would either laugh himself sick or rip out Touka's kakuhou for being a traitor to their species. How is this her life? 

Touka, resigning herself to what would undoubtedly be the most awkward grocery trip of her life, picked up a shiny red apple and began inspecting it. Out of the corner of her eye, Touka watched Akira grab a random apple and place it in the basket. 

“Not that one!” Touka blurted out without thinking. 

Akira blinked up at the younger woman, confused, “Why not? They're all the same.” 

“No, no, look,” Touka explained hurriedly, picking up the offending fruit, “See here? This flat spot—see how it's a little darker than the rest? And when you touch it, it's softer than the rest of it. Bruise spots.” 

“There's nothing wrong with a few bruises,” Akira argued. Touka gaped at the blond. 

“Nothing wrong?” Touka echoed, incredulous, “Mado-san, there are better apples in the pile. Why pick an inferior one? If I'm going to pay this much for fruit, I'll get the best ones, damn it!” 

The two women stared at each other for a moment. Suddenly, Akira laughed softly and shook her head. 

“I should have expected an experienced cafe owner to know her way around food,” Akira said, a wry tilt to her lips. 

Touka waved Akira's complement away, “Really Mado-san, it's nothing. But you should be more aware of your food choices! You can't keep buying bad produce. You could get sick like that.” 

Akira shrugged, “I normally eat out—maybe you could show me. And please, call me Akira.” 

Touka is unsurprised to discover that Akira often eats out. She knows from Hide's work load that Doves have little extra time, so dining out is simply more convenient. It's strange though, that Touka is more knowledgeable on shopping for fresh fruit and vegetables than a human. Touka laughed a little, unable to help herself. A ghoul teaching a human how to shop for food? The idea was too ludicrous to pass up. 

A few minutes later, the two women were leaving the store with bags in hand. Akira even picked up a few things to supplement her diet. 

“What made you decide to open a cafe?” Akira asked as the pair left the store. 

“I worked at one while in high school,” Touka answered with a half-smile, “It left an impact on me—the manager was like a second father to me and all of his workers.” 

Distantly, Touka felt a pinprick of pain when thinking about Yoshimura. She had heard the news from Hide. The CCG had witnessed the One-Eyed Owl eat the Manager. Yoshimura, Anteiku's head and heart, was gone. 

“What about you?” Touka said quickly, trying to change the subject. 

As soon as the words leave her mouth, Touka felt like punching herself. That was the worst possible question she could have asked. 

“Why did I decide to join the CCG? My family,” Akira replied, confirming what Touka already knew, “My parents were ghoul investigators before they died.” 

Touka can hear the old pain in Akira's voice. The sound of it is salt in her own wounds. This world...this world was unfair. Wrong. 

“I'm sorry,” Touka whispered, her hands tight on her bags. 

“Why? It wasn't your fault,” Akira replied calmly. Touka felt nausea curl in her stomach as if she ate one of Haise's cakes and washed it down with a glass of milk. And suddenly, she can't do this. She just _can't _.__

“I'm sorry,” Touka repeated, trying to hold herself together, her tongue thick in her mouth, “I have to go. I'm late.” 

Akira nodded politely, “Of course. Thank you.” 

“For what?” Touka blinked, unable to help but ask. 

Akira smiled faintly, hefting her bag of fruit, “For the company and the lesson.” 

“Of course,” Touka got out before she turned and walked away hurriedly. She's bolting like a terrified rabbit, but Touka didn't care. She has to leave. 

“Family, huh?” Touka whispered to herself as soon as Akira was out of sight. 

– 

Akira, like most within the CCG has experienced loss. The most devastating to her are from two years ago. First she lost her father, the last of her family. Then she lost Amon and Takizawa in one fell swoop. They were her superior and her rival—but they were more than that. They _are_ more than that. Her heart hasn't quite healed yet, and some days she goes into the office expecting to hear Takizawa's loud complaints or Amon's clumsy attempts to bond with her. It's complicated, and it hurts everyday. 

Akira's latest brush with loss was one year ago during an operation in the 16th Ward. Not long after the Owl Suppression Mission, Akira's quinque skills were deemed strong enough to place her in the Aogiri Countermeasures Force. It was a great honor and a great responsibility, especially when they place her in charge of a squad. Everyone around her were excellent at their work so she was startled that she was named a squad captain. She wanted to work hard and do well. She wanted the ghosts that followed her to be proud. 

This is how Akira loses the first squad she headed: 

Her squad and a few others were sent to the 16th Ward to eliminate a nest of ghouls suspected of having ties with Aogiri. It was Akira's first mission with her squad, and she tried not to feel nervous. But her instincts were buzzing with apprehension. 

The mission started off simply enough. They found the ghouls and got to work. Akira had just beheaded her third opponent when her intuition blared in warning. She dodged left, but slipped in the pool of blood left by her previous opponent. Her ankle twisted, but it was the pain she felt when a kagune slammed into her ribcage that was mind-numbing. Her body was flung against a wall like a rag doll. Stars lit up her vision and nausea coiled in her stomach. Akira's awareness faded in and out, but she was able to see her attackers well enough. She gets the impression of color, patterns, and dead white makeup. 

“Hahaha, let's have some fun!” a ghoul crowed, practically skipping in glee. 

Clowns. 

The screams of her squad rang clearly in her ears as they were slaughtered one by one. They were no match for the infamous ghoul gang. Somehow, by miracle or curse, Akira could catch snatches of the Clowns' chatter as they murder he subordinates. 

“Mmm, delicious!” 

A wet gurgling scream echoed briefly, overlapping with the ghouls' conversation. 

“—giri's going to be angry that they owe us again.” 

“Ha, good info! Who did you say tipped you off?” 

A laugh and another scream filled Akira's ears. She almost missed the response. 

“—chan, remember?” 

“Oh, the blondie? The one that's playing that stupid dangerous game with the Doves while living with a kakuja? Haha, that kid's going to be upset when he finds out about this.” 

A soft snort and the squelch of organs was audible before a cheery voice rebuked, “He never gets angry. He'll cry though. He's got a—haha—soft spot for the CCG. Funny, right? He should be worrying about getting eaten, but instead he's worrying about getting skewered by a quinque!” 

Akira struggled to focus. She had to get out of there. But her head had cracked against the concrete wall and darkness was threatening to consume her. She heard footsteps approach her, and her heartbeat sped up double time. 

“Almost missed one~!” a Clown sang as the ghouls sauntered closer to her. Akira was sure that she was going to die. 

Then, suddenly, a miracle. There were shouts from across the room. Akira was quickly forgotten as the Clowns turned to face the latest threat. Tentative hope bloomed in Akira's chest when she saw that the newcomers bore quinques. 

“More toys!” the first Clown cheered, rushing to meet the new arrivals. The other Clowns laughed and followed their fellow. 

Akira let herself breath deeply, the terror of the close call slowly starting to fade away along with the last of her consciousness. 

Akira awoke sometime later in a clean sterile room. She was in the hospital, and to her surprise, she wasn't alone. Slumped in the visitor chair was Nagachika Hideyoshi, his eyes closed in sleep. Akira was curious why the younger blond was there. They worked together in the past, back in the days when she was still under Amon, and Nagachika was a mere assistant. Currently, they were both members of the CCG's Anti-Aogiri team. However, Nagachika had grown into a Division II protege while Akira was a field investigator. Akira considered their relationship friendly, if not that close. 

Why was he here? 

There was a soft knock on the door before Marude Itsuki, Section Manager of Division II, strode into the room. 

“Mado,” Marude greeted Akira quietly, so not to wake Nagachika. 

“Marude,” Akira replied with a short nod. 

Marude's eyes glanced over to where Nagachika was sleeping, a small frown on his face. 

“I see that idiot Nagachika is finally sleeping,” the oldest investigator in the room muttered, an odd mix of displeasure and relief in his voice, “He's been neglecting himself ever since news came in about your squad.” 

Akira swallowed, a small ache in her chest. While she hadn't known her squad long enough to form strong attachments to them, they had been her squad. Hers. And now they were dead. 

“Why?” Akira asked, eyes flicking over to Nagachika's slumbering form. 

Marude shrugged, “Damned if I know. He blames himself for what happened, that much I can gather. He was the one assigned to investigation detail on your mission, and he's beating himself up for not predicting the Clowns' involvement.” 

“Nagachika can't predict the future,” Akira snorted. Marude rolled his eyes. 

“Try telling him that,” Marude grumbled, “By the way, the nosy brat was listening in on your com. Said he had a bad feeling. He called backup the instant he heard your squad start going down.” 

Akira looked over to Nagachika's sleeping form again, faintly surprised. 

“So he saved my life,” Akira murmured, touched. 

“Don't thank him,” Marude cautioned, worry etched on his face,“Any time anyone mentions that he's your savior, he shuts downs again. He won't accept any gratitude. Over all, his attitude is a bother for me. Nagachika's been clamoring for a transfer. He wants to join Mado squad.” 

“Mine?” Akira was confused, “My squad is—was part of field operations, not Division II. And my squad is dead. Has he lost his mind?” 

“Apparently,” Marude grouched, displeasure clear in his voice, “But I can't convince him otherwise. He's got a lot of potential, and I'll be damned if the CCG loses him completely. He's your problem now, Mado.” 

“He doesn't have a quinque,” Akira said slowly, her mind turning, “He doesn't have combat training. If I take him out on the field against Aogiri, he's going to die.” 

“Then train him,” Marude shrugged, clearly unconcerned, “Actually, while we're at it...the next batch of Academy graduates will be entering the CCG in a few months. We lost too many investigators with that last run in with the Clowns. We're going to be overrun with rookies. Train them up, Mado.” 

Akira nodded silently. Failure burned in her chest, but it was quickly eclipsed by determination. She glanced over at Nagachika who was still slumbering away, and she was suddenly struck with how young and helpless he looked. 

When she meets the rest of her new squad several months later, she gets that feeling again. Too young. Too fragile. Her new subordinates aren't graduates of the Academy. The CCG is so desperate for new recruits they've instituted a new fast track program for graduates of the _Junior_ Academy. Other than Urie, all of Akira's new subordinates have only a few courses at the main Academy under their belts. Apparently Marude had not exaggerated when he warned about being overrun with rookies. 

Too young. Too fragile. Akira is struck with how much she work she has ahead of her. 

The latest rendition of the Mado squad gets no respect. The team is too young, too inexperienced, and it is lead by a failure. It is not her subordinates' fault. Akira knows the truth. The blame lies solely on her. 

The whispers follow Akira throughout the office hallways. Mado Akira is certainly a capable investigator, but everyone who works with her dies. And those new little chicks following her around, well...it was only a matter of time. 

Akira tries to ignore the talk surrounding her. Her profession is a dangerous one. No one should be surprised at death. 

(Akira's lost too much. She doesn't want to lose any more.) 

She is determined to make her underlings into fine investigators. Her squad has plenty of potential, it's just hidden. Sometimes Akira wondered if she was a good enough mentor to them. They were her squad—she refused to fail again. 

– 

Mutsuki trailed in Hide's wake, a polite smile on his face. The green-haired investigator had to admit that Hide certainly had a talent with making people feel at ease. The two investigators were currently working on their assigned task to interview the various witnesses and victims' family members. Mutsuki knew that most people were a little uncomfortable around CCG members. Ghouls were nasty business after all. 

But Hide was good at reassuring others. He was also good at hurrying along a conversation without looking like he was rushing anyone. Mutsuki had to admit, he was a touch envious of his superior's people skills. 

After the pair made their last stop, Hide cheerfully led them to :re for a late lunch. Nishiki was on the clock today, and he was the one that took their orders. 

“So what have we learned, Mutsuki?” Hide asked as the wolfed down sandwiches. Mutsuki knew from experience that Hide's words were really an opening for a teaching session. The younger investigator frowned thoughtfully, trying to read into the lesson. 

“The victims...there's a pattern. They all have scars,” Mutsuki reasoned out. 

“Bingo!” Hide grinned, snapping his fingers, “Good catch. Notice anything else?” 

Mutsuki blinked, unsure, “Ummm...” 

Hide reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a map. He laid it out on the table with a small flourish. Mutsuki noticed that Hide had already placed small markers all over the map where Torso's crimes had taken place. 

“So, Mutsuki,” Hide began, “now that we know that Torso likes scars, what do you notice about the map?” 

Mutsuki studied the paper for a minute before it clicked, “Ah, they're all by hospitals! If he has a preference for scars, picking up victims near a hospital would make a lot of sense.” 

“Right again,” Hide nodded. 

“Oi, Nagachika!” Nishiki interrupted, coming up to their table with a faint frown on his face, “Did I hear you correctly? There's a ghoul targeting women with scars around hospitals?” 

Hide nodded, slightly confused, “Yeah, why do yo—Oh! Kimi!” 

“Huh?” Mutsuki blinked curiously. 

“My girlfriend,” Nishiki clarified with a half-shrug, “Kimi is a med-student, so she has a few classes at the hospital. And she has a really prominent scar on her shoulder from a ghoul attack a few years back.” 

“Eh?! That must have been an ordeal for her!” Mutsuki blurted out, his eyes wide, “You better warn her to stay away from taxis then.” 

“Well, yeah,” Nishiki snorted, “She's already had to deal with the bullshit of a ghoul attack in the past, she doesn't need another.” 

“Don't be such a worry-wort, Nishio-sempai. Kimi will be fine...besides, she has you to protect her now, right?” Hide laughed, before nudging his subordinate, “Come on, Mutsuki, lets report in to Akira. We'll start staking out a few places in the up coming days.” 

– 

Kimi was exhausted. It was only a day until she and her research team presented their findings at the press conference, and she was nervous. Public speaking always made her a little wary. 

Her classes at the hospital affiliated with Kamii University had just finished up, and she was walking through the campus to get to the main road. As she walked, she pulled out her phone and called Nishiki. 

“ _Hello?_ ” Nishiki answered. In the background, Kimi could hear the faint sounds of conversation and clinking dishes. Nishiki must be at work at :re then. 

“Hello, Nishiki. I just finished classes,” Kimi informed him, a faint smile on her lips, “Are you at :re?” 

“ _Yeah,_ ” her boyfriend replied. 

“Do you mind if I meet you there?” Kimi asked. 

“ _That sounds good,_ ” Nishiki agreed, “ _It's pretty late. You could have dinner here._ ” 

“Only if Sasaki is cooking and not you,” Kimi teased, causing her boyfriend to sputter. She giggled. 

“ _Shit, I got to go. Touka's getting prissy,_ ” Nishiki groaned, “ _Look, one quick thing before I go. Don't get into any taxis, okay? Take the train. I'll see you soon?_ ” 

“See you soon,” Kimi agreed before hanging up. She smiled and shook her head slightly as she tucked away her phone. Normally she would have used a combination of the subway and her own two feet to get to her destination, but she was _tired._ A taxi ride sounded heavenly. 

Deciding to go against Nishiki's warning, Kimi started scanning the streets for a cab. Then she spotted one. 

“Taxi!” Kimi cried out, waving her arm. The taxi started to slow down, but instead of stopping in front of Kimi, it stopped before another young woman a few meters away. Kimi sighed in disappointment. Oh well, it looked like Nishiki was going to get his wish. She headed toward the train station, her feet aching. 

– 

Whenever Kirishima Ayato looked at his mask, a voice whispered in his ear. It was always the same voice with the same words, and it always caused something to burn in his gut. 

_'Take care of your sister,'_ his father murmured, his kind smile audible in his voice. 

Mistakes. His black rabbit mask stands for all the mistakes he has made, and all the ones he's still making. But he can't stop. He can't stop now. Aogiri never lets go of her soldiers except to the cold embrace of death. 

Besides, where would he go? To his foolish sister? 

_'Take care of your sister.'_

As if he could do that. 

Aogiri's current base of operations is massive, a labyrinth of gray concrete. When he's not on missions, Ayato spends his time there training new recruits. There are countless other ghouls that live within the confines of the base, and many more that come in and out. Despite the crowds, Ayato is able to carve out a relatively private niche for himself there. 

“Hey, Ayato,” Naki called out, disturbing Ayato's privacy. Naki was flanked by his usual cronies, Gagi and Guge, and there were a few other White Suits trailing in his wake. 

“What do you want, Naki?” Ayato sighed impatiently. 

“You've got a dude that can drive, right?” Naki asked, waving his hands abstractly, “I need to borrow him. Me and my guys have a job in the 20th Ward.” 

Ayato frowned, “The 20th? What's even there anymore?” 

“Who knows and who cares, I just gotta crash this party or whatever,” Naki shrugged, “So can I borrow your guy or what?” 

“Whatever,” Ayato shrugged, waving away the other Aogiri Executive, “Torso's got a driver's license and a taxi. Feel free to grab him.” 

Ayato ignored whatever thanks Naki said in response, his mind turning furiously. 

_'The 20th? With the peace-crazed idiots of Anteiku gone, what's left there?'_ Ayato wondered. To be honest, he had expected the 20th Ward to descend into chaos without Anteiku around. And while it had been rough there for the first year or so, over the past year, the 20th had calmed down as it fell under new management. Rumor had it that the remnants of Anteiku had seized control of the 20th. Ayato assumed that meant Touka and that quiet guy, Yomo, but he wasn't positive. After the Anteiku raid, Aogiri had turned their attentions elsewhere, seeing as they had gotten what they wanted. 

Really, this was the first time Aogiri had bothered with the 20th Ward for ages. Distantly, Ayato wondered what was going on. Sighing in frustration, he forced his curiosity to fade. Whatever Naki was doing had nothing to do with Ayato. 

A voice too kind to exist in Aogiri's territory breathed into his ear, an echo of warmth Ayato had long forgotten and abandoned. 

_'Take care of your sister.'_

No, Ayato didn't care at all what happened in the 20th Ward. There was nothing there. 

– 

In anticipation for Kimi's press conference, Touka and Kaneki had decided to close :re for the day. Even if none of them were going in person, they were definitely going to watch it on the TV anyway. There was zero possibility that any of :re's staff were going to be able to focus while the press conference was on. 

Instead, :re's staff had camped out at Tsukiyama's home in the 21st Ward. Besides everyone from :re, Tsukiyama had graciously invited Banjou and his three friends to his sprawling manor, as well as his old friend, Hori Chie. Hori had shown up with bottles of blood wine (and regular white wine for the humans) on hand for the celebration. An air of excitement hung in the air as everyone gathered around the television. The excitement was evident among the Tsukiyama servants too, as they chatted among themselves. Even Tsukiyama was smiling quietly instead of antagonizing Banjou or Nishiki. 

There was a knock on the door. Tsukiyama's servant, Kanae, strode in followed by Hide, the last one to arrive. 

“You made it!” Kaneki called out, scooting over to provide a space for Hide to sit down, “I thought you would be too busy staking out hospitals to come.” 

“Of course I made it,” Hide retorted as he took the seat on the floor next to Kaneki, “The CCG does give us lunch breaks, you know. Though I did get a little held up. The guards at the front of the manor harassed me for a bit until Kanae came to fetch me. By the way, Kanae, thanks for guiding me around. This place is huge!” 

The servant nodded briefly in acknowledgment before sliding over to Tsukiyama's side. 

Touka snorted from her spot on Kaneki's other side, glancing over Hide's CCG uniform with a critical eye, “I can never get over the irony of seeing you in that outfit during these get-togethers.” 

Hide smirked and made a show of shining the dove-shaped gold pin on his lapel, “I know, it's hilarious right?” 

Touka merely rolled her eyes, smiling fondly. 

“Do you know the squad that's attending the press conference?” Kaneki asked curiously. 

“Not really,” Hide shrugged, “It's Inomata squad. We've never been on a mission together, so I don't really know any of them.” 

“Hush!” Hinami ordered, prodding fingers into Hide's shoulder, “It's starting!” 

The TV screen was currently showing a wide shot of the conference room. A news anchor was droning on in the foreground, but the group paid little attention until they caught sight of Kimi amidst the other researchers. Eager shouts filled the air. 

“Hey look, it's Kimi!” 

“This is going to be awesome!” 

“Oh wow look!” Hinami cried out, her sharp eyes catching something on the screen, “Look at Kimi's hand! See how it flashes in the lights? Nishiki, did you—oh my, you did!” 

Nishiki smiled widely, the unusually open expression shaving years off his face. Instantly, another round of happy cries filled the room. 

“Congratulations, you lucky bastard!” 

– 

Kimi smiled hoping it didn't come out as being too nervous as lights flashed all around her. The press conference was about to start. She knew it was just her nerves causing her to see things, but it looked like there was a forest of microphones and reporters in the room. There was a small knot of men and women in suits in one corner. She knew from the attache cases they were carrying that those were the CCG representatives. She smiled nervously at them. After years of being a human in the ghoul world, Kimi could only ever think of ghoul investigators by the nickname the ghouls gave them: “Doves.” 

On either side of her were her classmates and professor. Everyone who had worked on the RC-cell replication project was here except for Nishiki. It felt wrong that he wasn't able to attend. Of course no one knew that he had helped with the project, and he didn't want anyone to know. Even so, Kimi was struck with the injustice of it. The world was unfair. 

Shyly, she rubbed the new ring on her finger for reassurance. Once, Nishiki had been nervous to stay with her, hesitant and worried over their conflicting natures. But with the prospect of artificial meat on the horizon, he had made a promise to her, for their future. 

The world was changing. Maybe people like Kimi and Nishiki could have a place in this new world. 

“Ladies and gentlemen,” someone called out to her left, “Welcome to Kamii University. If everyone would please take a seat, we will—” 

_BAM!_ Gasps rang out around the room when the door to the room was suddenly knocked off its hinges, the wood splintering under incredible force. On the other side of the door stood a group of people in sharp white suits, and one raggedy dark-haired man. All of them were wearing masks, save their leader. Leading them was a blond man with red eyes and a reckless grin, his face bare, unconcerned who saw his visage. 

The Doves all reacted immediately, fear palatable in their voices, “It's Aogiri's S-rate Naki!” 

Then, the screaming began. 

– 

The next couple of minutes happened in a blur. Everything went too fast, and all the scenes were fragmented, like a brilliantly shattered wine glass. 

The news report had already cut away from the press conference and instead the camera was trained on the face of a startled news anchor with too wide eyes and a pale face. It takes a moment, but the news anchor starts talking in a shaking voice. The words run together, meaningless. 

At the press conference, unseen by the outside world, Naki is directing his men. His orders are simple: destroy and take. 

The Doves surge up to face the ghouls, but they weren't really expecting to fight anyone, let alone a ghoul of Naki's caliber. The first two investigators get beheaded without being able to draw their weapons, the crimson of their blood arcing through the air. A reporter shrieks, only to be silenced by a kagune piercing her throat. The last sound she makes is a wet gurgle. 

A camera, still rolling, videotapes everything. 

(No one gets to see the footage until the next morning.) 

In the 21st Ward, Nishio Nishiki is yelling at the top of his lungs. His eyes have changed, red on black, and his face is twisted in an amalgamation of rage and grief. There are at least three people pinning him to the ground as he writhed mindlessly. 

“KIMI!” he shrieked, trying to buck off the others, his kagune trying to sweep those coming closer to him away. Yomo manages to pull a startled Hinami out of the way from the snake-like tail. Nishiki is successful in tossing Banjou off his shoulders but is hindered again when Tsukiyama pinned Nishiki's kagune to the floor with a grunt. Meanwhile, Kaneki and Touka held Nishiki's body down, preventing him from doing anything rash. 

“Stop! Stop, you idiot!” Touka yelled, but she was crying too, her face blotchy with tears, “She's too far away! There's two wards between here and there! Even with Tsukiyama's fastest car, you can't—” 

“Fuck you!” Nishiki snarled, squirming fruitlessly. Kaneki, his eyes filled with pity, punched Nishiki full on the mouth, not bothering to hold back. Nishiki's head snapped back, blood dribbling from his lip. There was a distortion to his face, indicating broken bones beneath the skin. Nishiki bared his teeth, struggling weakly. Kaneki, his face anguished, punched Nishiki again. 

“Don't be reckless,” Kaneki ordered, though his voice wavered and his eyes remained filled with understanding sorrow, “We're too far away. Going out like you are now—you'll expose us all. Your actions will kill us all, Nishio-sempai. Do you think Kimi-san would want that?” 

Nishiki wept, falling limp in the others' grasp. 

“Fuck!” he cursed, tears spilling from his kakugan, “Fuck fuck fuck—shit! Damn it all to hell! AaaaaaAAAAAAAaahhh!” 

Nishiki howled with impotent rage and sorrow, but he didn't try to run out the door again. Arms encircled him, holding him, hugging him. He didn't care. Those arms didn't belong to Kimi. 

He cried into the night. 

As for Nishino Kimi...her world was beyond pain. She thinks there's something wrong with her legs, but it's hard to stay focused. She's drifting, and there are gray spots in her vision. She can hear others in the distance, but it's fuzzy. 

Vaguely, she feels a hand trace the scar on her shoulder. Her jacket must have been torn in the confusion, because she was sure that her arm had been properly covered before. 

Kimi is very tired. 

The ghoul the CCG called Torso hovered into her cloudy field of vision, his kakugan filled with desire. 

“What a nice...scar.”


	6. Clean

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “A killer and a healer,” Nishiki snorted to himself in the present as he strapped the mask to his face, “What a shitty farce.”

Most people forget that, despite the way he acted, Hide actually had a sharp mind under his blond hair. He would never be the most physically astounding of investigators, but when it came to the mind, Hide was amazing. When Hide had decided to leave Division II to assist Akira with training new recruits, Marude had almost cried. 

It was his mind and the information he had at his fingertips that made Hide so valuable in the CCG. Information was everything, and Hide made sure it got into his greedy hands as fast as possible. 

Hide wasted no time ducking into a more secluded room as soon as the press conference went to hell in a hand-basket. He could hear Nishiki's anguished yells despite the walls between them. Hide wanted to help Nishiki, but a human would be of little use for restraining a flailing ghoul. Instead, Hide sought out a quieter spot, one where Nishiki's cries were merely muffled murmurs, and made some phone calls. 

Akira answered him on the first ring, _“Mado here.”_

“Are you watching the news?” Hide asked quickly, not bothering with a stoic facade. He had already informed Akira that he and Kimi were friends. If Hide sounds distraught, it's not suspicious. 

_“The 20th Ward Branch investigators are driving there now,”_ Akira replied, her voice cool and efficient as always, _“Also, squads S1 and S3 are making their way there from the Main Branch.”_

“Thanks, keep me posted,” Hide murmured into the phone before hanging up. 

Akira calls back in half an hour. She utters the words that make Hide's heart leap. 

_“There are survivors.”_

– 

It's...odd. Ghouls rarely go to hospitals, and Nishiki, despite being a former pharmacy student, has never been in one before. His first impression of the place is that it is white and clean. It’s sterile and very...hollow feeling. The scent of antibacterial cleaners sting his eyes and nose. 

His footsteps echo hollowly on the floor as he heads over to Kimi's assigned room, and his hands tightened on the bouquet of red carnations he brought. Hide is already waiting just outside, along with a several other people carrying briefcases. He recognizes a few as Hide's squad mates. Doves. 

Any other time, Nishiki would probably have his hackles raised at the presence of fucking Doves, but he feels too wrung out. He ignores the people that are his kind's greatest enemy. After what happened, the Doves' presence is nothing. 

Hide offers a polite nod when he spots Nishiki, “Hello.” 

“Nagachika,” Nishiki responds, his voice a rough croak. He knows he looks terrible, but it must still be good enough to pass as human. If it wasn't, Touka probably wouldn't have let him come here. 

“Aren't you from :re?” one of Nagachika's subordinates asked—the tanned one, with the green hair. Nishiki doesn't bother to answer, instead focusing his attention on Hide. 

Nishiki opens his mouth, but a broken sound emerges. He tries again. 

“How...How is she?” 

“They're allowing visitors now,” Hide replied, scooting to one side to let Nishiki inside the hospital room. Nishiki nodded and slipped past. Hide followed Nishiki after barking out a quick order to make sure no one came in. 

Kimi had been given a private room to herself. Nishiki vaguely wondered how that had been arranged. Kimi didn't have the money to afford a private room. Distantly, Nishiki wondered who had paid for it. 

(Nishiki doesn't notice it, but there is an elaborate glass vase on the windowsill, juxtapositioned by the simple daisies and periwinkles it held. There is a card nestled among the daisies—a wish of health and friendship written in at least three languages.) 

In any case, Nishiki was glad for the room. The more privacy the better, and Nishiki always had been a bit territorial. 

Kimi's still form lay quietly in the lone hospital bed, her usually neat hair fanned out against the white pillow in a messy halo. There are bandages wrapped around her head and throat, and he can see more trailing down her arms. Choking back tears, Nishiki took her hand into his, grasping it gently. Hide felt a stab of pity while watching the display of emotion from the usually prickly ghoul. Carefully, the human guided the older male into a visitor chair. 

“I'm sorry, Nishio-sempai,” Hide murmured, “This is the CCG's fault. If we had sent more investigators—” 

Nishiki shook his head, “Don't be an idiot. You can't see into the future.” 

“But I—” 

“Save it,” Nishiki snapped, glaring at Hide with watery eyes, “Don't act like shitty Sasaki—it's not your fault. The only one I fucking blame is Aogiri.” 

“...She—she was lucky,” Hide confessed, “From what we were able to gather, she was one of the last to be attacked...benefit of being at the far side of the room, I guess. The ghoul that attacked wasn't able to finish her off before Naki called the retreat. I guess that Kimi's attacker thought he had done enough damage and left her for dead. And Naki didn't allow anyone to take back personal trophies.” 

“Naki, huh,” Nishiki murmured, “Remind me to thank the bastard before I rearrange his face.” 

The pair are quiet as Nishiki spends a few minutes rubbing the back of Kimi's hand gently. Her skin is so fragile, and he can still smell the cloying sweetness of blood despite the bandages. Nishiki is suddenly struck with how human Kimi is. 

“The doctor said he is unsure when she will wake up,” Hide relayed to Nishiki, “They plan on observing her closely for the next four weeks.” 

Nishiki nodded stiffly. Four weeks...that was pretty standard for a coma patient. Even so, Nishiki's heart was a lead lump in his chest. 

“We also recovered a video,” Hide added quietly, “We're still sifting through the footage, but we were able to identify Kimi's attacker.” 

That caused the ghoul's head to snap up. 

“Who?!” Nishiki all but snarled, rage coloring his voice. 

Hide winced, eyes flicking to the side, “There's a reason why my squad is here. Kimi's attacker was Torso. I mentioned him before—the one that likes scars. He's part of Aogiri.” 

Nishiki was stunned into silence, but not for long. 

“Shit,” Nishiki cursed, his furious voice at odds with his gentle hold of Kimi's hand, “Fucking Aogiri. Fuck them! Especially fuck that shitty bastard with the scar fetish! I'll kill him! His head is mine!” 

Hide startled. Nishiki's eyes were showing their kakugan, his rage causing him to lose control. 

“Turn those off, idiot!” Hide hissed as he looked around for witnesses, “My squad is just outside!” 

“Fuck!” Nishiki growled, closing his eyes. When he opened them again the unnatural red and black had vanished. 

“We'll get this guy, I promise,” Hide assured the older male. Nishiki nodded woodenly, his eyes desolate. Hide clapped Nishiki on the shoulder once before leaving the room to give the ghoul some privacy. 

Nishiki continued to hold Kimi's hand, the carnations he had brought falling to the floor in a spray of petals. 

– 

Nishiki has never considered himself a good person. He knows himself too well to ever delude himself. But for Kimi, Nishiki was willing to pretend to be good. He worked very hard at it. He scavenged instead of hunting. He worked in coordination with others in :re. He was good. 

But Kimi wasn't here right now. She was unconscious, her body swathed in bandages. If she had been even the weakest of ghouls, those sort of injuries would have merely been an uncomfortable week or less of healing, sped along with a steady diet of meat. As a human... 

The doctors didn't know when Kimi would wake up. And even though they didn't say anything out loud when they talked to him, Nishiki could read it on their faces. They don't know if she would wake up at all. 

If Kimi died, what reason did Nishiki have to be good? 

Nishiki sat in his apartment alone, his mask cradled in his hands. He turned the painted snake face slowly in his hands, checking for scratches. He couldn't help but remember the first time he had shown the mask to Kimi. 

_'A snake?'_ she had said at the time, _'Hmm. I like it. It suits you.'_

_'Snakes are villainous,'_ Nishiki had replied, a little uncomfortable, _'It matches my kagune at least.'_

_'No, I didn't mean it like that,'_ Kimi had laughed, _'A snake is clever and tricky—and it's also a symbol of medicine.'_

“A killer and a healer,” Nishiki snorted to himself in the present as he strapped the mask to his face, “What a shitty farce.” 

– 

Almost two weeks after Aogiri's attack at the press conference, the Mado and Shimoguchi squads held a meeting on their investigation on Torso. At the meeting, the tension was so thick you could cut it with a knife. For once, the two squads weren't at each others' throats. Instead they were sitting quietly as the suspense continued to build in the air. 

“We got a full list of the casualties from the Kamii press conference,” Hide reported, flipping through a few papers, “All of Inomata squad was wiped out. Two thirds of the guests were killed, along with all but three of the research team.” 

“Three?” Akira echoed, her brow creasing, “We only recovered two.” 

“Graduate students Nishino Kimi and Kita Heiji were injured in the attack and taken to the hospital,” Hide confirmed, “Nishino is currently in a coma. Kita is awake and cooperating with the investigation. According to Kita, their professor, Terada-sensei, was taken alive by Aogiri. Terada was the only victim Aogiri captured.” 

“Hmm...Terada, huh?” Akira mused, crossing her arms, “Nagachika, I want—” 

A loud knock on the door interrupted her. A few seconds later, the door to the conference room swung open to reveal Marude Itsuki, Section Manager of Division II. Quickly, the other investigators stood, and bowed to him in greeting. 

“Special Class Marude!” 

Marude nodded at the gathered investigators, and waved them back to their seats. He paced in front of the room, his hands clasped behind his back. 

“I'm sure you're already all aware, but Torso has been identified as a member of Aogiri Tree,” Marude announced, to which everyone nodded, “Under normal circumstances, his case would be transferred to S3 as part of the anti-Aogiri strike force.” 

“But?” Akira prompted, her lips thin. 

“Shimoguchi, your squad will be reassigned,” Marude ordered briskly, “You will be working with Hirako squad on their latest case. Mado, I want your squad to join the Aogiri countermeasures force.” 

Hide looked up startled, “What? No!” 

Marude blinked at Hide in surprise, “Why not? Both you and Mado were assigned there before.” 

“With all due respect, Marude,” Hide began, gritting his teeth, “Akira and I didn't have students before. The Mado squad hasn't taken out a ghoul higher than A-rank. We're not ready for Aogiri. Sorry.” 

“What?” Urie blurted out, losing his cool for once, “We can handle it. (I need my promotion.)” 

“No, I agree with Nagachika,” Akira frowned, “Our squad simply does not have enough experience yet. Of all the squads currently in the CCG, we have the _least_ amount of collective experience. Perhaps we can switch assignments with Shimoguchi.” 

Marude eyed the two blonds, his mind churning. He wasn't stupid. He knew why both of them had reservations. The death of the original Mado squad was still very fresh in their minds, even a year later. 

“Hirako squad is assigned to the S~ ghoul Serpent,” Shimoguchi snorted, contempt spilling from him, “You might be taking yourselves out of the fire, Mado, but you'll still be jumping into the pan.” 

“Serpent?” Akira echoed, her brows furrowed, “He doesn't sound familiar.” 

“He only showed up a little over a week ago,” Marude explained. 

“Not that you need to concern yourself with him,” Shimoguchi sneered, “You said so yourself, your squad is too green.” 

Shirazu seethed, the legs of his chair scrapping on the floor as he stood angrily, “Why you—” 

“Shirazu!” Akira snapped, glaring at her subordinate. Reluctantly, Shirazu sat back down, his lips peeled back from his sharp teeth in a wordless snarl. 

“How about a compromise?” Hide suggested quickly, trying to defuse some of the tension, “We'll continue to work on the Torso case, but we're not going to join the greater Aogiri strike force.” 

Marude snorted, “Nagachika—” 

“Look, it's this or nothing,” Hide said firmly, cutting Marude off, “I can take it up to Director Washuu, if you want.” 

“Are you really going to play that card, Nagachika?” Marude grumbled, arching a brow. 

Hide shrugged, a wry smile on his face, “What can I say? He likes me.” 

“Only heaven knows why Yoshitoki-san is so damn soft on you,” Marude grumbled before he sighed in defeat, “Very well. This doesn't mean I won't be pulling you and Mado aside from time to time. In the meanwhile, hurry up and finish training your subordinates.” 

Both Akira and Hide nodded in unison, “Yes, sir.” 

Both Urie and Shirazu looked like they wanted to protest some more, but somehow they held their tongues. 

“Figure out Torso's identity in a month,” Marude commanded, holding out an imperious finger, “If it's you, then you should be able to handle it.” 

– 

Urie Kuki was bitter. After his father's death, Urie wanted nothing more than to one day rise through the CCG's ranks, and take his father's place as leader of the S3 squad. That goal seemed so far away now. 

Urie had graduated from the CCG's academy with honors. He had even been given a place within a squad far earlier than was normal thanks to a new fast-track program the CCG was experimenting with. Besides Mado Akira, his squad captain, Urie was clearly the most physically powerful investigator on his squad. But it still wasn't enough. 

_'The Mado squad hasn't taken out a ghoul higher than A-rank,'_ a remembered echo of Nagachika's voice proclaimed, _'We're not ready for Aogiri. Sorry.'_

Urie cursed and clenched his fists. Fucking Nagachika. Fucking squad! They were dragging him down. Urie had the chance of working on a case that would surely provide countless honors. Instead, he was stuck working on a case chasing after some no name ghoul because Nagachika thought they weren't ready! 

At least there was a glimmer of hope. If they were able to identify Torso in a month... 

No. Not they. _He._ Urie Kuki. 

But first he need to make it so that his squad stayed out of his way. They just needed a distraction. 

– 

Shirazu was furious. As soon as the meeting was over, he had stormed off, a cloud of frustration covering him. 

Yeah, the Mado squad was made up of rookies. Other than Akira, they were all junior investigators, even Hide. He could understand that. He _could._ Still it burned to hear it laid out so harshly. 

Shirazu got it, he really did. Aogiri was the big bad ghoul terrorist group. So what? Who gave a fuck? His squad could deal. They _could._ Besides, working the Aogiri case was a guaranteed pay raise. Shirazu _needed_ that money, for his sister, Haru. He _needed_ it. 

“Shirazu,” a quiet voice cut through the sharp-toothed investigators thoughts. Shirazu snapped his head up to meet Urie's eyes. 

“What do you want?” Shirazu snapped. Urie shrugged unconcerned with Shirazu's waspishness. 

“Relax (idiot),” Urie replied, “I just wanted to talk. (Like fuck I do.) Did you notice how suspicious Nagachika and Mado were acting?” 

“Hide and Akira?” Shirazu questioned, “You mean how they held us back? Yeah, the fuck was up with that?” 

“Nagachika and Mado don't care about our individual promotions,” Urie began, his eyes cold, “If we start performing too well as individuals, we will be transferred out. As long as we are under them, our accomplishments are their accomplishments.” 

Shirazu gaped at him, “Wait...are you saying they're trying to take our credit?” 

“I'm just saying that it's a possibility,” Urie shrugged, deceptively nonchalant, “Shirazu. You need money, and you need a promotion fast, right?” 

“Ain't that obvious?” Shirazu snapped, “I only became an investigator because the hazard pay from the CCG is good, _and_ they pay bounties.” 

“Then,” Urie mused, “achieve not with the squad but by yourself. That will get you closer to your objective.” 

“Got it...” Shirazu muttered, his jaw tense, “I'll do it. I won't let 'em get in my way.” 

“I'm glad,” Urie said out loud before adding under his breath so that Shirazu couldn't hear, “(That you're such an easy fool to handle.)” 

– 

A few days after the meeting with Marude, Akira had a bad feeling the instant she walked in the conference room for the Mado squad's weekly meeting. When she entered the room, the rest of her squad mates (minus Saiko) were already there. To her shock, they were shouting at each other, tempers boiled over. 

Hide was standing, looming over a seated Urie, an uncharacteristic snarl on the easygoing blond's face. Clenched in Hide's fist was several slips of paper that looked like receipts. 

“When the fuck were you going to tell us, huh?!” Hide was yelling, shaking the receipts under Urie's nose, “We could have used this information earlier, and you kept it to yourself? For what? So you could take out Torso by yourself? You can't fucking swing a sword in a goddamn taxi!” 

“I was handling it,” Urie stated calmly. 

“Handling it?!” Hide snarled, slamming a fist into the table, “If we had known sooner, we could have worked together to—” 

To Akira's surprise, it was Shirazu, not Urie, who cut off Hide with snarled words, “Worked together to what? Yeah, fuck you. I know what you mean by 'work together.' Urie was fucking right.” 

“We're a squad!” Hide shouted, his brown eyes ablaze with fury, “We're supposed to work together!” 

“Ha, like you're one to talk! You fucking go off and behead ghouls on your own all the time. Why the hell should we listen to you? We'll do this on our own,” Shirazu sneered, before stomping out of the room. Urie followed, a triumphant smirk dancing on his lips. 

“Damn it,” Hide hissed as he slumped down into his chair. Shaking hands carded through messy blond hair, brown eyes glaring at nothing. 

“Mutsuki, what's going on?” Akira asked calmly, her arms crossed. 

The younger investigator startled at being addressed before stuttering, “A-ah...well, Nagachika-sempai noticed that Urie was taking a lot of taxis and—” 

“You were right, Akira,” Hide muttered, interrupting Mutsuki as his hands tightened into fists, “Urie did figure something out that he wasn't sharing. Torso's a taxi driver, and Urie's known for _weeks._ ” 

“And he didn't tell anyone?” Akira's eyes widened in shock. Hide shook his head. 

“If we had known, maybe we could have identified Torso earlier,” Hide sighed, rubbing a hand through his hair, “But you know how Urie is. He has something to prove. And he said something to Shirazu. I don't know what it was, but it's got Shirazu all wound up. They're not listening to me.” 

“Damn it,” Akira cursed under her breath. 

“Are you going to report them for insubordination?” Mutsuki questioned hesitantly. 

“As much as I would like to, we can't afford to lose any investigators right now,” Hide answered before Akira could, “We lost an entire squad on Aogiri's attack at the Kamii press conference, and we did not capture a single ghoul. It's all hands on deck right now.” 

Akira snorted, “When is it ever not all hands on deck? I see your point, Nagachika, but they can't just get away with this.” 

“Let me think of something,” Hide shrugged, as he stood up from his seat, “In the meantime, I need some time to think. Then, Mutsuki and I are going to continue to stake out a couple of hospitals. You?” 

“Yonebayashi and I will start tracking down taxi companies for their employee lists,” Akira replied, “Good luck you two.” 

– 

Hide sat at a bar staring at a glass filled with amber liquid. He didn't normally drink alcohol (he hated the lack of control that came with it) and if he wanted anything to eat he'd go to :re since more often than not he got anything he wanted off the menu for free. 

But for now, he wanted some space to _think._ Things were getting complicated fast, and Hide was trying to figure out how all the pieces fit together. So here he was in a no-name bar staring at an untouched beer, as if it held all the secrets in the universe. 

“Ya know, it'll light on fire if you stare at your beer any harder, Mr. Bad-Ass,” a laughing voice teased Hide. Hide looked up with a grin. 

“Rank 1 Itou!” Hide waved, recognizing the other investigator. Rank 1 Itou Kuramoto of Hirako squad sat down in the seat next to Hide and ordered a drink. Behind Kuramoto, Hide spotted the rest of Hirako squad taking seats at a nearby table, including the squad leader, Hirako Take. 

“Eh, Kuramoto is fine, Rank 1 Nagachika,” Kuramoto shrugged as he turned his seat to face Hide properly, “Itou-ittou is just complicated.” 

“You can call me Hide, then,” Hide replied, smiling. 

“So, Hide,” Kuramoto began as the bartender placed a beer in front of him, “What was with the long face earlier?” 

Hide laughed sheepishly, scrubbing the back of his head, “Oh you know, the usual.” 

“Crappy mission?” Kuramoto guessed as he took a sip from his drink, “Yeah, I know what you mean. Our investigation on Serpent's a pain in the ass too.” 

Hide arched a brow, “Oh?” 

“Yeah,” Kuramoto nodded, taking another pull from his drink, “Serpent—right now he's been given an S-rating but we haven't been able to catch him, so it might go up. Anyway, he's pretty skilled. And interestingly—he appears to be hunting ghouls.” 

Hide felt his eyes widen, “Ghouls? Is he a cannibal?” 

Kuramoto shrugged, a wide smile on his face, “Dunno. It doesn't matter though. His rating's high enough. Good material to push towards my promotion.” 

“Serpent must be pretty strong to be such a problem already,” Hide mused, swirling a finger around the lip of his glass, “It's only been two weeks since he's shown up on the radar, right?” 

Something niggled in the back of Hide's mind. Two weeks ago...that was when Kimi was first put into the hospital. Something cold collected in the pit of Hide's stomach. 

“Hey, Kuramoto,” Hide felt his mouth form the words, but he felt strangely detached from them, “Why did we name him 'Serpent'? Was it because of his mask, kagune, or both?” 

– 

Touka was in :re cleaning up during a slow period for the cafe when her phone chimed merrily, causing the rabbit charm attached to it to dance. Carefully, Touka put down the mug she was drying, and picked up her phone, noting that the call was from Hide. 

“Hello, Hide,” Touka greeted as she wandered into :re's kitchen for more privacy. Haise looked up at her with a smile as she entered, his hands dusted with flour. 

_“Touka, I'm at a bar and need to keep this quick. I've got some co-workers waiting for me,”_ Hide whispered into the phone, obviously trying to be discrete. Something about his tone set warning bells off in Touka. 

“Is something wrong?” she asked, trying not to overreact. Haise was already wiping his hands down, his expression sobering as he moved closer to her. 

_“Where's Nishio-sempai?”_ Hide questioned. Touka exchanged glances with Kaneki. 

“He keeps switching shifts with Hinami and Yomo,” Touka replied, “We figured he needed more time to visit Kimi at the hospital.” 

_“Well he hasn't been visiting the hospital,”_ Hide hissed into the phone, _“I just got word that the CCG is looking for a ghoul with a snake mask and a snake-like bikaku. Remind me to offer my congratulations; Nishio-sempai is the S~ rate Serpent known for killing ghouls.”_

Touka felt her mouth grow dry and she tried not to look to Kaneki, “Is he...Is he cannibalizing?” 

Kaneki stiffened next to her, old wounds and memories bubbling up to the surface. Blindly, she reached for him, grasping his hand with her own. She squeezed his fingers once, lacing their digits together. 

_“No confirmation, but my gut says he's not,”_ Hide answered. Touka let out a breath she didn't know she had been holding. 

“How much trouble is he in?” Touka asked worriedly. 

_“Well, considering the guy in charge of his case is one of Arima's students, what do_ you _think?”_ Hide grumbled, _“Hirako Take. He doesn't look like much, but he's one of only two people that can keep up with the CCG's Reaper.”_

“Hide—” 

_“Fuck, I gotta go,”_ Hide groaned, right before the call cut off. 

Touka sighed and looked over to Kaneki. The half-ghoul hadn't heard all of the conversation, but judging by the firm set of his mouth, he had heard enough. 

“Get Hinami,” Touka ordered, “Nishiki is being a fucking idiot.” 

– 

Nishiki's patience was starting to run a bit thin. After a week of ripping apart ghouls with even a _whiff_ of a connection to Torso and Aogiri, Nishiki had little to show for it. Torso remained elusive. 

Despite the lack of info, it felt good to let loose some of his fury on a bunch of low-rate ghouls. It had been awhile since he had felt such blood-lust. It was a rush, a reminder of what exactly what he was. 

A memory of Kimi's smiling face, flashed across his mind's eye, _'A snake is clever and tricky—and it's also a symbol of medicine.'_

No. Serpents were killers. And Nishiki was a ghoul. 

A hunter. 

Today, Nishiki was trying a different tactic. Sometimes it was wiser for a predator to follow another predator and steal the prey. 

Nishiki was currently perched on a rooftop's edge, peering down at a figure wearing a white coat. The Dove had yet to spot him, which made the ghoul grin grimly behind his mask. 

Suddenly, Nishiki's phone vibrated in his pocket. He glanced briefly at the screen to see who was calling before answering it reluctantly. 

“What do you want, shitty Touka?” Nishiki groaned, trying to keep his voice light and low. 

_“Where the hell are you?”_ Touka snapped, her voice echoing slightly over the speaker, _“Your shift started 30 minutes ago.”_

“I switched with Hinami,” Nishiki replied easily. 

_“Bullshit,”_ Touka growled, _“Hide already told us about fucking Serpent. You bastard, what the fuck are you doing?!”_

“...Nagachika has a big mouth,” Nishiki grumbled under his breath. 

_“You're fucking crazy,”_ Touka snarled, _“You better be walking your snaky ass back to :re or else I'm going to to turn you into my new pair of boots!”_

Nishiki listened to her rant with half an ear, more intent on what was happening on the streets below him. He had to admit, he was very glad Hide's baby Doves weren't clever enough to look up. If he had tried this trick with Hide or Akira he would have been caught instantly. 

Mutsuki, however, didn't look upwards once. 

“I've got to go,” Nishiki said quickly, hanging up and turning off his phone. He had just seen that green-haired investigator jump into a taxi. The Dove's face was a mixture of apprehension, stress, and realization. 

Nishiki grinned to himself. Bingo. 

– 

Meanwhile, inside :re's backroom, Touka glared at her cell phone for a few seconds before turning to Hinami and Kaneki who were standing behind her. Her entire conversation with Nishiki had been placed on speaker in hopes that Hinami's keen hearing could pick up anything useful. 

“Any clues on where shitty Nishiki could be?” Touka asked. Hinami bit her lip, then nodded. 

“I heard one of Hide-nii-san's subordinates in the background. Mutsuki, I think. It sounded like he got into a taxi,” Hinami reported, “Nishiki must be close by, but out of sight.” 

“Clever,” Kaneki murmured, his gray eyes sharp, “He's following the Mado squad to find Torso.” 

Touka dialed Hide's number, making sure to keep the phone on speaker. 

_“Hello, Nagachika speaking,”_ the human said formally, even though he had to know who was calling. There were faint voices in the background. Obviously he was still at the bar, and was being careful on who was listening in. Kaneki frowned. Were there other Doves nearby? 

“Hide, where is Mutsuki?” Touka asked quickly, not bothering to beat around the bush. 

_“Uh—Mutsuki? He should be looking for clues around that hospital near the train station,”_ Hide replied. 

“Hide, you need to get over there fast,” Kaneki demanded, his words clipped, “Mutsuki just jumped into a taxi.” 

_“Wait, Mutsuki just went into a taxi?”_ Hide sputtered, shock coloring his voice, _“Oh damn it. I just told him not to do anything dangerous! Torso's a taxi driver!”_

“Nishio-sempai is there too,” Kaneki bit out. Hide cursed again. 

_“Fuck, this just got complicated. Oh crap—Mutsuki! He's in a car with Torso! He can't take on Torso by himself!”_

“Call the CCG for back up,” Kaneki frowned, his eyes flinty. 

_“What about—”_ Hide began to ask, but he trailed off before hissing lightly into the phone. Kaneki got Hide's meaning immediately. If Hide got the CCG involved, Nishiki would be stuck in the middle. 

Kaneki shared a quick look with Touka who nodded grimly. 

“Let us worry about Nishio-sempai,” Kaneki replied, “See you soon, Hide.” 

– 

Mutsuki was nervous. He was currently sitting in a cab with what was potentially a dangerous ghoul driving in the front seat. Unconsciously, he recalled the words Hide had told him before they had split up. 

_'Even if you find a suspicious person, don't do anything alone!'_

Mutsuki had gotten into the cab on a spur of the moment decision, but something in his gut knew that he was right. He could just tell that there was something wrong. The cab driver's eyes were familiar—the eyes of a predator after prey. 

“...Have you been doing this job long?” Mutsuki asked the taxi driver hesitantly, clutching at the bag that contained his quinques. 

“About five or six years now,” the driver replied casually, before his voice dipped into a quieter register, “But...I don't really get it.” 

There was a flurry of movement. 

“GAH!” Mutsuki gasped. A hand was at his throat, choking him. Kakugan eyes glared at Mutsuki, the hellish red on black causing the investigator's heartbeat to skyrocket. Mutsuki struggled, trying to blink back the dark spots in his vision as cruel hands tore at his clothes. 

_'No!'_

Cloth gave way as the ghoul exposed a bound chest littered with scars. 

“Ohhh,” the ghoul known as Torso purred, “So you're a woman after all.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you thought parts of Shirazu and Urie's conversation sounded familiar, I'll admit that I shamelessly borrowed from the manga. Urie's such a little liar, haha. Same with the Mutsuki vs. Torso bit. Also, some of the conversation between Hide and Kuramoto was taken from the manga as well, in particular the “Itou-ittou” bit. Kuramoto's rank and name sound similar in Japanese.
> 
> Also a few more hints this chapter on why the (not) Quinx are still part of the CCG. If we remember from the manga, Haise was an ace within the CCG. He won awards for exterminating lots of ghouls, and highly ranked ones too. In APoF, Hide doesn't have the sheer physicality that Haise brings to the table. In the original manga, we can assume that Haise would have been put on some pretty shitty jobs before being assigned as the Quinx's mentor because as a half-ghoul he could survive some pretty epic fuckery that a human simply _can't._ No Haise at the CCG means that those jobs went to other investigators who either died or became crippled. In APoF, the CCG had to raise the pay for their investigators to attract new blood, as well as forming fast track programs for Academy students. Just like in TG:re, Shirazu and Saiko have financial/family issues that push them towards being investigators, while Urie still has his situation with his dad. Mutsuki, as an orphan, is a ward of the CCG, and it was only natural for him to want to become a ghoul investigator.
> 
> Red carnations mean deep love and affection. They can also mean “my heart breaks.” Daisies represent innocence, and periwinkles mean friendship.


	7. Contact

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Nishio-sempai, we all kept in contact with each other for a reason you know?” Kaneki pointed out kindly, “We are Anteiku. We take care of our own.”

Mutsuki never considered himself to be strong, especially in comparison with his squad mates. He was timid and a little too kind. But, he was an investigator, and his everyday job was to fight with ghouls. He wasn't weak. 

Baring his teeth, Mutsuki kicked out at Torso, throwing the ghoul off of him. Not willing to give an inch, Mutsuki's hands dove into his bag pulling out his quinques and slashing at Torso's eyes in the same movement. 

_'One of a ghoul's greatest weakness is their eyes,'_ a memory of one of Hide's lessons murmured in Mutsuki's head. 

“A Dove?!” Torso shouted in shock as Mutsuki went on the attack. Mutsuki slashed again viciously at Torso's face, suddenly grateful that Ifraft and Abksol were daggers. The quinques' short ranges allowed for greater maneuverability within the small space. Mutsuki stabbed one of his knives into Torso's palm, blocking an openhanded strike. 

Mutsuki missed the block for the second attack. 

“Aaargh!” Mutsuki yelled as Torso's punch nailed him in the gut, causing all the air to whoosh out of his lungs. Torso followed up with a strike to Mutsuki's vulnerable face. 

_CRACK!_

Torso grinned as he punched Mutsuki in the face again, the blow causing Mutsuki's head to spin. Mutsuki whimpered in pain, one eye starting to close from the bruising. 

Then to Mutsuki's utter shock, Torso moved away, fear in his kakugan eyes as he spotted something outside. Vaguely, Mutsuki was aware of Torso scrambling back to the driver's seat cursing quietly. For a second, Mutsuki thought he heard static and voices, but he ignored it in favor of peering outside. 

_'Oh...'_ Mutsuki thought blearily, as one eye cracked open to spot what was going on outside the cab window, _'Backup.'_

– 

Shirazu had to admit, he was actually impressed with Urie at the moment. Urie had deduced correctly which cab was Torso's and now the pair were chasing after it on Shirazu's motorcycle. As they got closer, Shirazu's sharp eyes noticed who exactly was in the back seat. 

“Shit, is that Mutsuki in there?” Shirazu gasped. 

“Faster, Shirazu!” Urie yelled in the other investigator's ear. 

“I'll break the law, ya know?!” Shirazu protested, even as he pressed harder on the gas. 

“That doesn't matter (hurry, idiot)!” Urie snapped. The pair careened across the street, unmindful of the chaos they were causing behind them. 

“Aim for the tire with your quinque!” Urie ordered. Shirazu gaped at him. 

“Are you kidding? There's no way I can hit that and drive at the same time!” 

“Just do it!” Urie shouted as he shoved Shirazu's quinque case into the blond's hand. 

Shirazu deployed his weapon, feeling the familiar weight of Bomber, his gun-like ukaku quinque, settle into his right hand. He pulled the trigger, shooting out sharp barbs at the taxi's tires. 

_Bam! Bam! Bam!_

He missed. 

“You suck,” Urie snorted. 

“Fuck you, I told you I couldn't hit it,” Shirazu spat, as Urie signaled at a police car for assistance. 

Not that the police did much to help. As the police car traveled closer to the speeding taxi, a series of rinkaku tentacles burst out from the taxi window, and into the police car. Within seconds, the heads of the police officers were flying overhead. 

“Shit, what else could go wrong?!” Shirazu groaned. 

He instantly regretted those words. To his shock, a civilian walked out into the street in front of Torso's speeding taxi. Shirazu began to cry out in alarm, but the sound died in his throat. 

The pedestrian released a shimmering bikaku, the thick tail massive with RC-cells. The kagune reared up to slash at the taxi's tires, and then smashed into the vehicle's hood, causing the taxi to stop abruptly. 

“Fuck, fuck!” Shirazu swore even as he and Urie clambered off the motorcycle, quinques at the ready. The taxi's driver seat door burst open, and a skinny man ran out, his face wrapped in his shirt. 

“(Is that supposed to be a mask?)” Urie snorted, unimpressed with Torso's attempt at subterfuge. 

“Mutsuki!” Shirazu called out, relieved when the other investigator stumbled out of the taxi, wounded but alive. Mutsuki didn't make it far before he fell to his knees on the road, curling into himself. 

Torso, clearly panicking, shot his tentacles out towards Shirazu and Urie. Both investigators dodged, though the motorcycle was instantly turned into scrap from the wild kagune. 

“Damn it,” Shirazu hissed under his breath. 

“Don't play with the kids, Torso,” the strange ghoul that had crashed the taxi ordered, “Your fight is with me.” 

The ghoul stepped forward into the light, revealing his distinctive snake-like mask. Shirazu paled. 

“S~ rate...Serpent.” 

For a minute, Shirazu was frozen, just watching Serpent prowl closer to them. The ghoul kept his movements casual, as if he was just walking down the street. However, the eager swish of his bikaku as it swung back and forth revealed his hidden blood-thirst. 

“W-what do you want with me?” Torso whimpered almost pathetically. Serpent tapped the side of his mask as if thinking. 

“How about you just come with me, and you can find out?” Serpent purred, just before his kagune slammed into Torso. The taxi driver's thin body went flying like a rag doll, before it hit a parked car with a loud thud. The force of the impact wrecked the metal frame of the vehicle, leaving it dented beyond repair. Torso lay in a heap in the midst of the wreckage, obviously dazed and overwhelmed by the stronger ghoul. 

“Pathetic,” Serpent sneered, disdain in his voice, “Aogiri's really scrapping at the bottom of the barrel, huh?” 

Shirazu continued to gape, confused. Serpent had barely glanced in the direction of the CCG agents. Surely the ghouls would want to team up against a common foe rather than fighting among themselves? 

Urie, on the other hand, didn't care about if Serpent was acting strangely. Before him was a powerful ghoul, and a powerful ghoul equaled promotions. 

Urie struck. He swung his sword in an efficient downward strike, neat and backed with power. But before a ghoul of Serpent's caliber, Urie might as well have been swinging a stick. Serpent lazily blocked Urie's strike with his bikaku, his masked face calmly turning to regard the investigator. 

“The adults are talking, go away,” the ghoul growled dismissively. 

“Fuck you,” Urie snarled, hammering away at Serpent with his quinque. Serpent slid around Urie's attacks, fluid as water. 

“URIE!” Shirazu yelled, finally snapping out of his stupor to provide backup to his teammate. Shirazu took aim with his quinque, firing a volley at the ghoul. Serpent put up his arms to block, shrugging off Shirazu's attack with ease. 

“What's that supposed to be, a peashooter?” Serpent mocked. Shirazu scowled in response, and fired again. Serpent scoffed, using his kagune to flip up the empty taxi as a shield. 

“Oh fuck you!” Shirazu cursed and began to run towards Mutsuki, firing as he went. Serpent merely pulled over other empty parked vehicles to act as cover, unconcerned with the amount of collateral damage he was causing. By the time Shirazu made it to Mutsuki, the ghoul had made a small pile of trashed cars in the center of the road. 

“Mutsuki, are you alright?” Shirazu hissed quickly to the shorter investigator, keeping his weapon trained at Serpent. Mutsuki nodded weakly, his breathing uneven. Shirazu frowned when he noticed the bruising on Mutsuki's face. There was no way the green-haired investigator was fine. 

“Stupid kids,” Serpent sighed as he leaped up on top of the stack of wreaked cars, lounging there like a king on a throne, “Why don't you just let me have that half-naked twig over there and go home?” 

“We're not kids,” Urie growled, his eyes blazing with fury. Serpent laughed, cruel and mocking. 

“Sure, whatever you say,” the ghoul drawled, as he leaned back into his makeshift perch casually, “Normally I don't hold back against Doves, but baby chicks like you? Go call mommy and daddy, and maybe I'll get serious.” 

That was the wrong thing to say to Urie. Furious, the purple-haired investigator rushed at the ghoul. A horizontal slash from his quinque was dodged as Serpent leaped up into the air. Shirazu sent a barrage of shots at the airborne ghoul that were merely blocked by a swinging kagune. Serpent landed in front of Shirazu and Mutsuki, his head cocked as if in curiosity. Shirazu instinctively stood in front of Mutsuki, protecting his wounded teammate. 

“Point-blank Bomber!” Shirazu yelled, firing off his quinque straight at the ghoul's face. Again, Serpent brought up his arms to block the attack, shrugging it off like it was nothing. But, to Shirazu's surprise, Serpent didn't press his advantage, instead taking a step back, his kagune twitching in annoyance. 

“Leave, baby birds,” Serpent ordered, exasperation in his voice. 

Urie, stubborn as always, charged at the ghoul with a yell. Serpent let out a long suffering sigh. 

With an almost casual flick of his kagune, Serpent sent Urie flying. Urie hit the wall closest to his teammates with a loud thud, before he fell down in an undignified slouch. Watching Urie struggle to stand, Shirazu realized something that made his stomach drop to his knees. 

They were outclassed. 

“We've got to retreat,” Shirazu hissed to his teammates. 

“Don't give me that shit,” Urie growled as he forced himself to his feet, “If your extermination ability is deemed to be in proportion to an S-rate ghoul, our chance of getting a White Wing Award increases.” 

Shirazu stared at Urie in alarm, “Are you out of your mind?! We have to retreat!” 

Urie ignored him, settling into a fighting stance, his breath coming out in pants. Urie was a strong investigator, sure, but he was tired and battered. His collision with the wall had caused him to crack his head, and his vision was blurry. His limbs shock noticeably, and he wavered on his feet. 

“Urie!” Shirazu growled, trying to get his teammate to see reason. Urie ignored him, and brought his quinque up in a ready stance. 

“I see you're not going to stop,” Serpent snorted, shaking his head, “I guess I have to make you. Come on...Let's end this.” 

Serpent's kagune streaked towards them, an inevitable attack of pain— 

—Until a quinque sword wielded by a familiar blond bisected the snake-like tail. 

“Hide!” Shirazu cried out in relief as their mentor took point in front of them. Hide flashed a quick grin over his shoulder at his squad before leveling a determined stare at Serpent. 

“Hey, wanna tango with me?” Hide asked Serpent, almost playfully. He flourished his quinque in a dexterous display, a cocky smirk on his lips. Serpent let out a dark chuckle. 

“Sure. Let's have the grown-ups play for a bit.” 

– 

Hide and Nishiki charged each other simultaneously. Kagune and quinque clashed and the two combatants drew close. 

“I hate you so much right now,” Hide hissed under his breath, knowing Nishiki could hear him even if a human could not. There was a faint twitch from the ghoul's right shoulder. Hide swore and dodged right, grateful that Nishiki had given him a warning. The ghoul's kagune had come up and shredded the tail of Hide's coat, but the human escaped unharmed. 

Hide felt his eyebrow twitch in annoyance. Fuck, he liked that coat. At least all the stuff in his pockets were fine. 

“Sempai!” Mutsuki called out, struggling to rise. Hide held up a hand to stop the younger investigator. 

“Stand down, this is an order from your superior,” Hide grunted, spinning his quinque. The move was meant to be distracting and flashy, covering up the fact that both he and Nishiki didn't really want to hurt each other. 

“There's another squad coming, Serpent,” Hide growled, trying to make his words sound threatening instead of worried, “Surrender.” 

“Give me Torso, and I might think about it,” came Nishiki's snide reply. Hide cast a critical eye over the battlefield. Then, he cursed. 

“Torso's getting away!” Hide yelled, noticing the other ghoul ducking into a nearby building. Nishiki let out a wordless snarl and followed. 

“You've got to be kidding me,” Hide groaned, before snapping out orders to his squad, “Stay here and direct Hirako squad. They were right behind me.” 

Without checking to see if they did as they were told, Hide dashed off after the two ghouls. 

– 

Saeki Karao, better known as Torso, was running for his life. It was bad enough that Doves were on his tail, but running into Serpent? That was terrifying. 

Serpent had gained a reputation quickly. Any ghoul that stood in the path of the mad bikaku user ended up shredded. Torso had no inclination to become another statistic. 

So he ran. Torso ran, faster than he had in his life. And while he was terrified out of his mind, he still had an ace up his sleeve. 

Torso doubted the half conscious Dove in his back seat had heard him when he had radioed for help. 

– 

Nishiki was obviously faster and stronger than Torso. Despite Torso's head start, Nishiki caught up with him easily. With a snarl, Nishiki kicked the other ghoul through the wall of the building and out into the next alley. Torso landed in a heap of limbs and rubble, scrambling to stand. Nishiki strode through the hole in the wall, rage crackling around him. 

“You're mine,” Nishiki declared, his kagune swinging in for the kill. 

But before his strike could land, it was batted to one side, this time by yet another new intruder to his hunt. 

“Hey, Torso, you okay man?” Torso's savior asked casually as he turned to face Nishiki. 

Nishiki felt his blood grow cold. Standing between him and Torso was Aogiri's Naki along with several of Naki's subordinates. All of them were dressed in their trademark white suits. To add insult to injury, Nishiki saw Kirishima Ayato leaning against a nearby wall dressed in dark clothes with his iconic black rabbit mask secured over his face. 

“Hiding behind Naki's skirts, huh Torso?” Nishiki mocked, covering up his apprehension. He was grossly outnumbered. 

“Get 'im!” Naki ordered, cracking a finger. Nishiki cursed, preparing himself for the onslaught. 

– 

Hide was lucky. He saw Nishiki fighting Aogiri before the ghouls saw him. Quickly, he ducked behind a corner into hiding, his heart hammering in his chest. 

_'Think, Hide, think!'_ the blond thought frantically to himself. In front of him was his sempai fighting a losing battle against Aogiri. And the Hirako squad were no doubt on their way here behind him. Even if Aogiri did an about face and attacked the Doves, Nishiki was still stuck in the middle with no way out. 

“Hide!” Shirazu's voice hailed. Hide's eyes widened as Urie and Shirazu skid over to him. 

“I told you to stay back and direct Hirako and his squad!” Hide hissed, the knot of panic in his chest growing. 

“We can't leave you to face Serpent alone! We're a team!” Shirazu protested, “Besides, Mutsuki is still back there. He can direct Hirako squad.” 

Hide sighed, but smiled a little. He couldn't really argue with that. The part of him that was a CCG agent was proud of his subordinates. The part of him that was a member of Anteiku was cursing their bad timing. 

“Holy shit,” Shirazu swore as he peeked into the alley, his eyes wide, “Is that...is that Aogiri?” 

“Serpent's fighting them,” Hide explained quickly, as he dug through his coat pockets, “Listen up. We'll prioritize taking out Aogiri. If Serpent ends up helping us with them, that's our win. Our goal is to not die until Hirako squad shows up.” 

“Got it!” Shirazu nodded. After a moment, Urie nodded as well. Smiling grimly, Hide handed Urie and Shirazu the items he pulled out of his pockets. 

“Are these explosives?!” Shirazu yelped, as Hide dropped grenades into his hands, “You fucking carry explosives in your pocket?” 

“Those are flash bangs,” Hide shrugged nonchalantly, not bothering to inform his subordinates that he sometimes also carried real grenades. He poked his head around the corner, double checking to make sure the ghouls hadn't spotted them yet. Luckily, the noise of the battle had covered up the humans' conversation. 

Hide loved flash bangs. The bright light and a loud noise were more hellish on a ghoul's superior senses than a human's. For both humans and ghouls, a flash bang's light caused a few seconds of blindness followed by after images. The sound also threw balance off, and caused temporarily deafness. In addition, victims would almost always be physically nauseated from how the concussive force of the flash bang would wreak the balance of their inner ear, leaving them stunned. 

Most people thought that a ghoul's senses gave them an edge against humans, but when a flash bang went off the ghouls lost their advantage. For a brief window of time, a ghoul would be more helpless than an unaffected human, but that window was very short. Ghouls recovered faster from flash bangs than a human, even though they felt the effects of the device more strongly. 

“Close your eyes, and cover your ears. We'll toss these on three,” Hide ordered, hefting a flash bang, “One. Two. Three!” 

– 

Nishiki wasn't sure if he should be happy that Ayato hadn't joined in the fray or pissed off that the little brat was just watching with a bored slouch to his posture. At the moment, he decided on the former. One on one, Nishiki could probably wipe the floor with Naki. But against Naki plus six of his dudes? That was a different story. He didn't need Ayato butting in. 

Nishiki blocked the double kicks from two of Naki's muscle-heads, and batted away a third White Suit away with his kagune. He wasn't able to block the stab to the gut from Naki. 

“Gah!” Nishiki coughed, blood splattering from his mouth to coat the inside of his mask. Gritting his teeth, Nishiki kicked Naki off him and slid back a few steps. Panting, Nishiki wrapped a hand over his wounded middle feeling the wound start to close under his fingers. 

Naki didn't let Nishiki have enough breathing room, the mob of White Suits charging straight at Nishiki. Distantly, Nishiki could hear Hide shouting something. 

“One. Two. Three!” 

The snake-like ghoul let a sardonic grin spread across his face, unseen due to his mask. 

“Heh.” 

Nishiki was lucky enough to know a few of Hide's tricks—the irritating blond always did find a way to convince :re's staff to act as testers for his traps. So when Nishiki heard the telltale clink of a flash bang landing on pavement, he instinctively closed his eyes and clapped his hands over his ears. 

_FLASH! BOOM!_

Nishiki swallowed down the sudden, if expected, nausea that flared up. Even though he had muffled his ears and closed his eyes, the sound and concussive force of the explosion still screwed with his ghoul senses. Nishiki knew that his inner ear was completely fucked over, playing havoc on his balance and causing his stomach to churn unpleasantly. Thankfully, Nishiki had expected the side effects of the flash bang, and weathered it well enough that he was still standing on his feet. 

Naki and his goons weren't that lucky. 

The Aogiri operatives were hunched over, their kakugan eyes wide and unseeing. Blood was trickling down the ears of a few of the ghouls. 

Seizing his chance, Nishiki beheaded one of Naki's goons with his kagune. It wasn't a clean kill; he was so unbalanced that instead of loping off the ghoul's head at the neck, Nishiki instead sliced the skull in half, right above the nose. Swaying slightly on his feet, Nishiki reared back his bikaku to strike Naki down. At the last moment, a forceful kick sent Nishiki's attack off course. 

Nishiki snarled as he leveled a glare at Ayato. The rabbit-masked ghoul had defended Naki, and was currently standing protectively in front of the other Aogiri executive. 

_'Shit,'_ Nishiki thought to himself, _'The stupid brat was standing back and behind a dumpster—he didn't get as badly affected!'_

“Sorry,” Ayato shrugged, his voice sounding like it was underwater to Nishiki's ears, “Naki might be an idiot, but I can't let you kill him.” 

From behind Ayato, dark wings blossomed, the edges sharpening into deadly daggers. Nishiki cursed. Ayato had the advantage of kagune type over Nishiki, and was in much better shape physically compared to Nishiki's battered form. Nishiki wasn't dumb. He was well and truly screwed. 

– 

On one hand, Hide was glad that the flash bangs worked. On the other hand, he was silently panicking that they hadn't worked well enough on Ayato, who had been too far away from the epicenter of the blasts. As dark kagune wings spread out from Ayato's back, Hide's mind raced. He recognized the windup to Ayato's attack—Touka fell into the same stance whenever she was about to send out a barrage of hardened RC-cells. 

Hide could do _nothing_ to stop Ayato's attack. All he could do was watch. 

Kagune crystals rained down— 

—But they didn't come from Ayato. Instead, the attack came from above them, swirling hardened RC-cells making a beeline for the rabbit-masked ghoul, taking out a White Suit as they went. Crying out in shock, Ayato quickly switched to defense mode, and wrapped his kagune around himself to fend off the attack. 

Finally, the hail of crystals stopped. Snarling, Ayato opened his wings, clearly itching for a fight with the latest combatant to the melee. Ayato had fared well against the onslaught, though there were still places where his own red blood was splashed on his skin and clothes. But as soon as he looked up, he went rigid, a half-strangled sound emerging from his throat. 

“Hey, Serpent,” a sardonic voice drawled from on top of the building they were next to. Both Nishiki and Hide tilted their heads up, to catch sight of a white robed figure standing on the rooftop. The newcomer was sporting a white bunny mask and a long red wig. 

“Yo...Rabbit,” Nishiki replied, saluting Touka lazily. 

“Oh, you've got to be shitting me,” Hide cursed under his breath. The blond eyed his subordinates, his hand tightening on his quinque. 

“Who the fuck is that?” Shirazu hissed, his eyes wide with shock. Urie quickly shushed the shark-toothed boy. All three investigators quietly evaluated the situation, their faces grim. 

“Hold position. Let's watch how this plays out,” Hide ordered. He felt stupidly grateful when Shirazu and Urie nodded, willing to follow his lead for now. 

– 

Naki groaned as the spots in his eyes finally faded. He shook his head trying to dispel the last of the lingering dizziness and straightened his posture. 

He opened his eyes to a changed battlefield. Two of his subordinates were dead—one beheaded by Serpent, the other pierced with dozens of kagune crystals. There was also a newcomer to the fight, a ghoul wearing a white rabbit mask. 

“Aogiri scum,” the white version of Rabbit hissed, a single kagune wing bristling aggressively. 

“The hell, Rabbit?” Naki gasped, confused as he looked back and forth between the two rabbit-masked ghouls, “Why the hell are there two of you?!” 

Black Rabbit didn't answer, still staring at White Rabbit, his kagune twitching behind him. 

“What is she doing?” Black Rabbit hissed quietly under his breath, glaring up at his white counterpart before raising his voice to be heard, “Moron! What the fuck? Why are you butting into our business? This isn't your turf!” 

“Does the attack on Kamii ring a bell?” White Rabbit snarled back, “The 20th Ward belongs to Anteiku! Aogiri trespassed on our territory first!” 

“Since when?” Naki snapped back, “And are you dumb? This isn't the 20th!” 

“The 20th Ward has always belonged to Anteiku,” a chilly voice declared from above and behind, “Even if this isn't the 20th, what makes you think there wouldn't be any retaliation from us? Serpent went ahead to soften you up, and now you're easy pickings.” 

Naki snarled when he looked up and saw a darkly clad figure with black and white hair on the rooftop across from the White Rabbit. The newcomer wore a black leather mask with grinning gums and one visible eye; there wasn't a ghoul in Tokyo that didn't know that mask, Naki especially. 

Eyepatch. 

“Eyepatch, you bastard!” Naki shouted, bristling with anger, “Aren't you supposed to be dead?” 

The dark-clad figure standing above the alleyway shrugged, “Who's to say I'm the same person? I could have just picked up the mask, you know?” 

“Who are you, his brother or something?!” Naki snarled, even as he swayed on his feet, fighting the lingering effects of the flash bang. 

A mocking laugh echoed down from the eyepatched ghoul, “Maybe.” 

“Well, your bro killed my bro!” Naki accused furiously, “Somebody's gotta pay!” 

The dark-clad ghoul on the rooftop merely crooked his fingers in a “come and get it” gesture, his entire posture radiating disdain to Naki. White Rabbit snorted as well, and flashed a rude hand sign at the Aogiri's operatives' direction. 

Suddenly, shouts were heard from one of the alley entrances. 

“CCG! Surrender!” 

Black Rabbit snarled, and grabbed the other Aogiri executive's shoulder. 

“Retreat, Naki.” 

“What?!” Naki protested, his eyes flashing. 

“We got what we came for,” Black Rabbit growled, jerking his head over at Torso, “And we are in no shape to deal with both them and the CCG. Retreat.” 

Naki pointed a finger at the eyepatched ghoul and shouted, “This isn't over!” 

– 

Hide heard Hirako squad before he saw them. 

“CCG! Surrender!” 

“And that's our cue!” Hide remarked cheerfully as he, Shirazu, and Urie ran into the alley, quinques at the ready. The Aogiri ghouls were already making their retreat, rushing past Hide and his subordinates. 

Hide acted quickly, thrusting his quinque at one of Naki's men as the ghouls rushed past. He nailed the ghoul's thigh, causing the ghoul to drop to ground with a cry. With a quick flourish, Hide lopped off the ghoul's legs, leaving it immobile. 

“Natsu!” Naki yelped, turning to assist his underling. Ayato pulled the other executive back. 

“Leave him!” Ayato snarled, forcibly pulling Naki along with him. 

“Damn it, Rabbit! That's my guy!” Naki cried, struggling feebly in Ayato's grasp. It was useless. Ayato was already stronger than Naki and the White Suit's leader was still feeling the dizziness that accompanied a flash bang. 

“That's right, run Aogiri!” Touka yelled from the rooftop, urging on the rival ghoul gang's retreat with another wave of raining crystals. Her attack shredded another White Suit, the ghoul falling over as a hole riddled corpse of white fabric and blood. Naki shrieked in impotent rage. 

Just then, Hirako Take and his squad skid into the alley, quinques drawn. Hirako took point, barking out orders. 

“Michibata, Umeno, Nezu, follow Aogiri,” Hirako commanded quickly, “Itou, Kuroiwa, with me. We're with Mado squad on Serpent.” 

“Yes, sir!” 

Hide saw it before the others did because he was expecting it. Just as the CCG agents closed in on Nishiki, a red three-fingered claw snatched up the snake-masked ghoul and hauled him upward out of the CCG's grasp. 

“H-hey!” Hide yelped in feigned surprise, though privately he was glad that Kaneki had pulled Nishiki to safety. (Besides, it was hilarious watching their prickly sempai being suspended within Kaneki's kagune.) 

“Sorry, Inspectors,” Kaneki drawled, his one visible eye crinkling up in a frosty smile, “But we shall be taking our leave.” 

“See you later, Doves,” Touka sneered as she hopped across the rooftops to join Kaneki on his. As she flew across the air, she used her kagune to ruin the edges of the roof, making it impossible for the CCG agents to follow with grappling hooks. Hide had to hand it to her, it was a quick and clever move. He would have to remember to compliment her later. 

Without missing a beat, Touka and Kaneki sprinted off, leaping their way across the rooftops, Nishiki still wrapped up in the latter’s kagune. 

“Damn it!” Kuramoto cursed, “They're getting away!” 

“Let them! We'll never make it up there in time,” Hide shouted out impulsively. 

“Agreed,” Hirako grunted, his eyes narrowed as his eyes landed on the ghoul Hide had crippled, “Nagachika, is this one secured?” 

“Pretty much, yeah,” Hide replied as he snapped on a pair of handcuffs on the ghoul's arms. The ghoul didn't bother to struggle seeing as he was alone, surrounded by the CCG. 

“Good work,” Hirako complemented, “I'll call in a transport.” 

“Thanks,” Hide nodded, with a slight grin. He was careful not to show it on his face, but internally he was panicking. He needed to regroup with Touka and Kaneki and figure out what their next move was. 

But first, he had to a job to do. 

– 

Kaneki, Touka, and Nishiki managed to slip away into the underground tunnels that crisscrossed the city without the Doves following them. Following a twisting pattern within the maze, the three ghouls made it to a vast training space that existed a few feet under :re. 

“You could can put me down now,” Nishiki muttered. He was still wrapped up in Kaneki's kagune. The younger male flushed and scratched at his masked cheek. 

“Ah, sorry, Nishio-sempai,” Kaneki apologized, releasing Nishiki carefully. Now that they were out of sight of the public, all three ghouls unmasked. 

Instantly, Touka whirled on Nishiki, looking like she was about to attack him. 

“What the fuck were you thinking, shitty Nishiki?!” Touka shrieked at the older ghoul, Kaneki only barely holding her back. 

“Che, quit your screaming, shitty Touka,” Nishiki scoffed, wincing slightly as he gingerly held his still injured middle. The worst of the damage had healed itself, but the wound still stung and it would probably take a few days for it to be completely healed. 

“You're a fucking moron,” Touka snarled, glaring at Nishiki, “What the hell are we going to do now?” 

“Damn it, I'm sorry I dragged you into this!” Nishiki burst out, “It was only supposed to be me—” 

_SMACK!_ Nishiki was cut off when Touka ripped herself out of Kaneki's arms and slapped Nishiki across the face. 

“Fuck that!” Touka screamed at the oldest of the three, “Do you think _that's_ what I'm mad about? I'm pissed off because you didn't fucking call for us! We could have helped you! That's what Anteiku and :re are for!” 

Nishiki gaped at her, dumbstruck. 

“But I was—look, I thought you wanted to keep a low profile. I didn't want to drag you guys into this! It was my fucking problem!” Nishiki protested. 

“Yeah, well you were wrong. It's _our_ problem!” Touka snapped, the anger in her eyes not covering up the concern inside, “I mean, sure, I wouldn't have wanted you to go fucking wage war against Aogiri, but what's done is done. You seriously thought we would just _abandon_ you?” 

The dumbfounded look on Nishiki's face said it all. Touka huffed, rolling her eyes. 

“Nishio-sempai, we all kept in contact with each other for a reason you know?” Kaneki pointed out kindly, “We are Anteiku. We take care of our own.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know that in canon, Shirazu had a sword quinque before getting Nutcracker. But Shirazu has always been the long-range specialist among the Quinx, and it makes no sense to have a squad that is stacked almost exclusively with short ranged fighters. As a result, I would suspect that Hide would have fostered Shirazu's talent as a marksman, and have Shirazu issued with an ukaku based quinque. In my head, Bomber is basically Shirazu's kagune in quinque form, shaped as a gun, but still firing off the same kind of projectiles. The name of the quinque is a reference to Shirazu's names for his kagune attacks in canon (ex. “Point-blank Bomber”).
> 
> Also, Nishiki is obviously gentler in his handling of the (not) Quinx squad. This is mostly due to the fact that in his civilian disguise he actually knows them.


	8. Mission

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Yeah, that's going to be a pain in the ass, by the way,” Hide muttered, clearly unhappy, “Congratulations, you guys have a _task force_ dedicated to your capture.”

Hide had to admit, Mutsuki was lucky. Torso hadn't done any permanent damage to the green-haired investigator, though at the moment the bruising on Mutsuki's face looked awful. One eye was swollen completely shut, his lip was split, and overall his face was a colorful mess of broken blood vessels. 

Really, they were all very lucky. Too bad Hide didn't feel that way. 

At the moment, the Mado squad were all gathered back at headquarters, just a few hours after their run in with Anteiku and Torso. Even Mutsuki was there, ice packs pressed to his face. Hide would have preferred if Mutsuki had been sent home to rest, but that wasn't his call. 

“Um, before we begin, I have a question,” Mutsuki began hesitantly, fiddling with his ice-packs. 

Hide flashed a reassuring smile, “Shoot.” 

“Do you think we will be placed on the Aogiri case?” Mutsuki asked, worry in his tone. 

Hide sighed gustily, “If it was up to me, no.” 

“Why?” Shirazu questioned, curiosity (rather than anger) coloring his voice, “We're ghoul investigators, Hide. We can handle a bit of danger.” 

“Aogiri isn't a 'bit of danger',” Hide countered, his brown eyes sharp, “Right now, they are the most powerful ghoul organization in Tokyo, maybe even all of Japan. Not even the Ghoul Restaurants and the Madams can claim to hold as much power as Aogiri. Everyone who is currently assigned to Aogiri are veterans.” 

“You and Akira were assigned to Aogiri,” Mutsuki pointed out quietly. 

“Before this squad was formed, yes, we were,” Akira confirmed, a small frown on her face, “But the CCG cannot rely on veterans forever. We need new investigators, in other words, you. Nagachika and I are meant to raise the next generation.” 

“And we can't do that if you rush out to die,” Hide finished for her, sighing heavily, “To be honest, I wasn't ready for Aogiri myself. Maybe one day this squad will be fighting Aogiri, but not _now._ ” 

“But we were doing so well against them today,” Shirazu pointed out, “And, Hide, you were a bad-ass with the flash bangs!” 

“We were lucky that those other ghouls showed up,” Hide countered, his voice pained, “Didn't you see it? The flash bang missed Black Rabbit—if we had rushed out there before those ghouls interfered, we would have all been killed. We had no way of countering him. Black Rabbit doesn't show mercy to ghoul investigators.” 

Shirazu fell silent, thoughtful. Urie however, snorted. 

“We could have handled it,” Urie muttered, still defiant, “(Stop being such a stupid weakling, Nagachika.)” 

Hide turned to face the purple-haired youth, feeling more than a little insulted. But before he could say anything, Shirazu beat him to the punch. 

Literally. 

Snarling, Shirazu fist collided with Urie full on the mouth, causing the other investigator's head to snap back. A few of the others cried out in alarm, but Shirazu was already shouting over the noise. 

“Fuck you, Urie!” Shirazu growled, “Hide saved us back there! And he was the one who did the most damage to the fucking ghouls! You can't call him weak, idiot!” 

Urie clutched his cheek, his eyes filled with anger, but he didn't say anything else. 

“Calm down, all of you!” Akira ordered, her lips pressed in a hard frown, “We are getting nowhere like this! Now, I want to know what happened. Nagachika, report.” 

Hide hesitated for a second before sighing, “So I got a call that Mutsuki was with Torso—” 

“Who called you?” Akira interrupted, curious. 

“Anonymous tip,” Hide easily lied, “It probably was one of witnesses Mutsuki and I interviewed, since they recognized Mutsuki and connected him with me.” 

Mutsuki gave a soft chuckle, “It's good that you're so memorable, sempai.” 

Hide flashed Mutsuki a bright grin before continuing with his story, “I was lucky that Hirako Take and his squad were nearby. They offered their assistance in neutralizing Torso.” 

“I see,” Akira nodded thoughtfully, “I'll have to talk with Hirako later. Continue, Nagachika.” 

“I went on ahead of Hirako squad, since they needed some time to mobilize their whole team,” Hide continued on, “By the time I got to the scene, Mutsuki, Urie, and Shirazu were in combat with S~ rate Serpent.” 

“Shirazu, why were you fighting with Serpent?” Akira demanded, turning her sharp gaze to the younger investigator. 

“Uh, well, Serpent just showed up to attack Torso,” Shirazu replied, still sounding a little confused over the events that had transpired, “Actually, Serpent kind of ignored us until Urie attacked him.” 

Akira felt a headache form, “So, instead of letting the ghouls kill each other for you, you attacked the S~ rate ghoul who was ignoring you.” 

Urie was stubbornly silent. 

Akira sighed and rubbed the bridge of her nose, “Continue, please.” 

“Serpent kicked our asses, _and_ the dick pretty much admitted to holding back against us,” Shirazu said bluntly, crossing his arms, “Hide showed up at just the right time to save us, like a bad-ass superhero.” 

“Torso starting running away,” Hide added, looking a little embarrassed at the complement, “Serpent chased after Torso, and I chased after Serpent.” 

“Shirazu and I followed Nagachika,” Urie murmured, a bit subdued, “Due to his injuries, we left Mutsuki behind to direct Hirako squad. When we caught up to the ghouls, Naki and his White Suits were there, along with SS-rate Black Rabbit. Serpent was fighting them.” 

“Aogiri,” Akira growled, “Serpent was fighting them you said? He must have a death-wish. Solitary ghouls don't have a chance against Aogiri.” 

“He wasn't solitary,” Urie corrected, frowning slightly, “Serpent had backup from another ghoul organization. They called themselves 'Anteiku'.” 

Akira looked up sharply, “'Anteiku'? Are you sure?” 

Urie nodded, “Positive. There were two representatives. A white version of Rabbit and one with an eyepatch mask with exposed gums.” 

Akira exhaled a sharp breath, her eyes widening with recognition, “Impossible. Centipede is dead. Nagachika, get Marude. This just got complicated.” 

– 

Sometime later, Marude had joined the Mado squad with several old case files in hand. His expression was grim, but determined. Joining him were Hirako Take, Suzuya Juuzo, and their squads. 

“Anteiku,” Marude growled, clenching a fist, “I thought we had heard the last of them two years ago!” 

“Anteiku...Who are they?” Shirazu frowned, confused. 

“Anteiku was the name of a coffee shop in the 20th Ward,” Akira explained as everyone settled in, “It was a hideout for the SSS-Rate ghoul, Non-Killing Owl.” 

Several of the younger investigators paled. 

“You're talking about the Owl Suppression Mission,” Urie guessed. 

“Yes, Anteiku was the target back then,” Akira nodded, “Anteiku had many powerful ghouls within its ranks, but we exterminated a large number of them during the mission. The Anteiku of today likely doesn't have the firepower it did in the past, not with both Owl and Centipede dead.” 

Itou Kuramoto of Hirako squad sighed, “Still, it shaved a good five years off my life when I saw Centipede's clone standing there.” 

“What do you mean 'Centipede's clone'?” Kuramoto's squad mate, Kuroiwa Takeomi, asked curiously. 

“Centipede is dead,” Hide explained with a shrug, lying through his teeth, “I saw the body and took the pictures myself. Centipede is definitely dead. This new guy, Eyepatch, is just wearing the same mask.” 

“Really, we're calling him 'Eyepatch'?” Juuzo laughed as he nibbled on a snack, “If Amon was still around he'd be kinda irritated, don't you think? He always called Centipede 'Eyepatch'.” 

Hide shrugged, “Well, the name makes sense. What else would we call him?” 

Juuzo giggled again, “I think Eyepatch is a perfect name for this ghoul, Hide. I like it! Besides, Centipede shouldn't hog all the nicknames.” 

“So if this new Eyepatch ghoul isn't the same guy, why wear the same mask?” Shirazu asked, scratching his head. 

“Reputation,” Urie grunted, “You heard Naki. Whoever this Centipede was, he was famous among the ghouls. Eyepatch must be trying to capitalize on Centipede's old prestige. They might have even been siblings, as Naki suggested.” 

“Eh, they could be related,” Juuzo mused, tapping his lips, “Hey, Hide, you got a good look of Eyepatch's kagune, right? What did it look like?” 

“Like a big red claw—he was a rinkaku,” Hide answered, his heart lightening when he realized that Kaneki had molded his kagune into a different shape. Every little bit helped when trying to show the differences between “Eyepatch” and “Centipede.” 

“Well that doesn't sound all that much like Centipede's kagune—his were murder-rape tentacles,” Juuzo mused, before flashing a carefree grin, “Eh, whatever. At least we can be sure they're not the same ghoul.” 

Quietly, Hide mouthed the words “murder-rape tentacles” to himself, and tried not to grin like a loon. Kaneki would probably turn bright red if he ever heard _that_ description. 

“Who was Centipede?” Kuroiwa asked, “And why would ghouls know of him?” 

“Centipede was a partial kakuja—a cannibal,” Akira replied curtly, “The CCG gave him an SS-rating. It was suspected that Centipede was a member of Anteiku. He rose in prominence very quickly a few years ago before his power culminated during the Owl Suppression Raid.” 

“What happened to him?” Mutsuki asked, shuddering. All kakuja had terrifying reputations, their tremendous power and insatiable appetites making them dangerous to humans and ghouls alike. 

“He died in combat against Amon Koutarou during the Owl Suppression Raid,” Hide answered, providing the false information in the CCG's files. 

“Hopefully Eyepatch won't be as troublesome as Centipede,” Marude grumbled, “But I doubt it. We'll go with a S~ rate for Eyepatch. Same with White Rabbit. Judging by the dynamic between the Anteiku ghouls, those two have to be at least as strong as Serpent.” 

“I suppose I should congratulate you, Nagachika,” Akira commented offhandedly, though there was something strained in her expression, “Back when we were working the original Rabbit case, you had suggested that there might be two Rabbits. Your hypothesis has been confirmed.” 

Marude cleared his throat, bringing everyone's attention back to him. 

“So I'm sure you're wondering why I called for all of you,” Marude began smoothly, nodding briefly to Juuzo and Hirako, “The Mado, Hirako, and Suzuya squads will be working together as the Anti-Anteiku Task Force.” 

“Wait, seriously?” Hide blurted out, unable to help himself. 

Marude shrugged, a sly smirk on his face, “What's wrong, Nagachika? I'm not sending your rookies against Aogiri. This should be a perfectly acceptable mission.” 

Hide continued to gape as his brain slowly rebooted. Meanwhile, Akira nodded grimly at Marude. 

“I have no problems,” Akira murmured, “The mystery around the two Rabbits is...compelling.” 

Hide winced internally. He knew Akira still held a grudge against Rabbit. Juuzo in the meantime, cheered happily, and slung an arm around Hide's shoulders. 

“We'll be working together again, Hide!” Juuzo chirped happily, before calling to his squad, “Guys, you're going to love working with Mado squad. Hide's roommates are restauranteurs. He always brings breakfast and coffee from their place!” 

“That's just because Haise is a worry-wort that cooks too much, and Touka doesn't believe in breakfast without coffee,” Hide said without thinking. 

“Which is awesome for us!” Juuzo grinned hugely. 

“Boss Suzuya,” Hanbee Abara, Juuzo's constantly nervous subordinate, interrupted softly, “It might be too much for Nagachika's roommates to provide food for an entire new task force.” 

“Oh yeah,” Juuzo sighed, his shoulder's slumping. Hanbee immediately panicked at seeing his superior look so glum. 

“Maybe we can pay compensation? And only have food on Fridays so they aren't overwhelmed with our orders?” Hanbee suggested, trying to cheer up Juuzo. Instantly, the stitched investigator's grin was back. 

“Brilliant, Hanbee,” Juuzo clapped before turning to Hide, “Do you think that will work for them, Hide?” 

It took everything Hide had to smile normally instead of breaking down into hysterical giggles. 

“Yeah,” Hide nodded, “That will work.” 

– 

“I'm home!” Hide called out as he slipped his shoes off at the doorway of his apartment. 

“Welcome home,” Touka and Kaneki chorused as Hide entered the dinning area. An iced coffee and a plate of fish with rice were waiting for him on the kitchen table. As always the food looked delicious, and Hide's stomach growled faintly. However, feeling a bit playful, Hide raised an unimpressed eyebrow at the two ghouls. 

“If this is a your attempt at bribing a CCG officer, you have to do better than that,” Hide said dryly, although a small smile hovered at the edge of his mouth. 

Kaneki, at least, had the decency to look sheepish. Touka merely flashed a small smile. 

“We have cake too,” Touka smirked, her hands on her hips, “One of the fancy ones, with the fruit and white chocolate shavings on top.” 

Hide's eyes lit up as he eagerly sat down to eat, “Aaaand sold!” 

Touka rolled her eyes, “I'm sure Akira would be thrilled to discover you sold out the CCG to a pair of ghouls for cake, Hide.” 

“But it's Haise's cake,” Hide whined, pouting slightly at his female roommate. Touka laughed a little at Hide's antics before sobering. 

“So, Hide, how fucked are we with the CCG?” Touka asked seriously. Hide put down his fork and sighed. 

“You guys are so damn lucky,” Hide grumbled, pointing a finger at them imperiously, “It's not as bad as it could be, but at the same time, it's _pretty_ bad.” 

“Sorry, Hide,” Kaneki apologized, his face grim, “I suppose we will be counting on you to cover our tracks?” 

“Yeah, that's going to be a pain in the ass, by the way,” Hide muttered, clearly unhappy, “Congratulations, you guys have a _task force_ dedicated to your capture.” 

Kaneki startled, his eyes wide, “But we didn't even attack the CCG!” 

“Doesn't matter, both Marude and Akira are freaked out,” Hide sighed, as he continued with his meal, “I think Hirako is too, even though he won't say it. Most of the CCG was sure that Anteiku was wiped out two years ago, and then you guys show up. _And_ there's hints that you have familial relationships with two known SS-ghouls: Centipede and Black Rabbit. Of course they're worried.” 

“Great,” Touka huffed an irritated frown on her face, “Are you on the task force?” 

“Yes,” Hide replied, as he shoved a bite of food in his mouth, “I'm not sure if I should be glad about that or not.” 

“Go with glad,” Kaneki suggested, “You can keep us in the loop of what the CCG is planning for us.” 

“At the moment, the CCG doesn't know where to start with you guys,” Hide relayed, fiddling with his fork, “You were kind of a surprise, so everyone is digging into old records and making guesses on what you're capable of. By the way, you're both S~ rate.” 

Touka groaned at the news of the high rating, but Kaneki smiled happily. 

“Oh good, my rating went down,” Kaneki sighed in relief. Touka smacked him lightly on the arm. 

“I'm worried, you know?” Hide sighed, leaning back in his chair, “While the CCG never official linked 'Kaneki Ken' and 'Centipede,' there was no small amount of speculation. Most of the rumors died down after the raid on Anteiku, but—” 

“Akira worked on my case before,” Kaneki finished for Hide, “You think she might get suspicious.” 

Hide shrugged, “After Centipede 'died' the CCG didn't bother to keep digging into your real identity—there were more pressing matters than a dead ghoul. As for Akira, she doesn't seem to suspect anything at the moment. Really, she's a bit caught up with 'Rabbit's' involvement to look closely at 'Eyepatch'. But she could _become_ suspicious if we don't play our cards right.” 

“Then what do you suggest?” Kaneki asked, frowning. 

“We need to do everything we can to drive home that Centipede and Eyepatch are two different ghouls,” Hide replied, “Shaping your kagune helped. Next time you run into the CCG, remember to stick with the giant claw.” 

“Not that we're going to be running into the CCG anytime soon,” Touka snorted, “We have to lay low.” 

Kaneki and Hide nodded in agreement. Silence fell over the trio, but the tension wasn't draining from the room. 

Hide went back to his meal, his mind churning. He didn't want to say anything, but he was worried about Aogiri. It didn't take a mind reader to know that Touka and Kaneki were worrying about the other ghoul organization too, though so far neither ghoul had said anything on the subject. Hide knew they couldn't keep away from the Aogiri issue forever, and it was best to have a plan earlier rather than later. 

It seemed like neither one of his roommates were willing to broach the subject, causing Hide to sigh. 

“So what are we going to do about Aogiri?” Hide questioned cautiously, gauging the others' reactions. 

“What about them?” Touka asked flippantly. 

“You do realize we threw down a turf challenge to them, right?” Hide drawled, eying Touka, “In fact, _you_ were the one who claimed the 20th Ward for Anteiku.” 

Touka groaned, closing her eyes, “Damn it. They're not going to ignore that, are they?” 

“They probably won't act right away, but they'll be after us,” Hide predicted, a touch gloomy, “Fun.” 

“It doesn't matter,” Kaneki shrugged, his voice falling into his old monotone, “The attack on Kimi already showed us that we can't remain passive forever. If Aogiri is going to move against us, we must act accordingly.” 

Touka reacted immediately, standing up from her seat so fast her chair toppled over. 

“Hell no,” Touka hissed heatedly, “You are _not_ going off on your own to fight Aogiri again. Remember last time? You're not allowed to leave!” 

Touka dipped her head, her shoulders trembling as she reigned in some strong emotion. Memories danced in her head, taunting her with the past. The last time Kaneki had left... 

“You're not allowed to leave,” she whispered again, her voice rough as she choked back old black grief, “You're not allowed. You're not allowed to go off to die again, Kaneki!” 

Kaneki recoiled as if she had struck him, the brittle ice falling away from his expression. There was a brief silence in the room, only broken by Touka's tiny gasps. She refused to cry. She _refused._ Quietly, Hide stood and snaked an arm over Touka's shoulders, hugging her gently as she buried her nose into his chest. Hide smiled at Kaneki, but the expression was grim. 

“What Touka-chan said,” Hide murmured, steel in his voice, “You've not allowed to leave. Not without us.” 

“I'm not!” the half-ghoul protested, easing the fears of his companions, “I don't want to hunt down Aogiri for revenge or anything like that. In fact, since we have to worry about the CCG breathing down our necks, it's probably better if we lay low for awhile. But we need to be prepared to defend ourselves.” 

“Good, I'm glad you're not being dumb. Or else I would have to _beat_ you,” Touka grumbled, though she was smiling in relief. Slowly the tension drained from the room. 

“So if we're not going to go off and raid Aogiri like a bunch of idiots, what's the plan?” Hide asked. 

“First off, we need information on Aogiri,” Kaneki sighed, running a hand through is two-toned hair. Hide grimaced, recognizing where this conversation was going. He had hoped they wouldn't have to resort to going there, but there was only one place (one _person_ ) where they could get any meaningful information on Aogiri. 

“Itori?” Hide asked needlessly, his voice pained. 

Kaneki nodded. 

“Itori.” 

– 

Hide and Kaneki decided to visit Itori a two days later. 

Hide used to honestly like Itori. He really did. When Kaneki first introduced Hide to her, they had hit it off immediately. It was practically mandatory that Itori was likeable. If she wasn't likeable, clients wouldn't spill all their dirty secrets to her. 

But Hide doesn't trust Itori one bit. Not anymore. He's not stupid—Itori is an information broker, just like Hori. Just like Hide. But unlike Hide or Hori, Itori holds no allegiance to anyone or anything other than her own whimsy. Her information is available to anyone for the right price. It makes her dangerous. 

Hide should know. He has first hand experience with Itori's nature. He's already made the mistake of selling her the right information at the wrong time before. 

_(Hide will always remember the screams of the original Mado squad as they died. He was listening to the com system. The guilt never goes away._

_“Do you know how many squads were completely decimated? Akira was the only survivor!” Hide remembers screaming at Itori as she smiled with her red, red lips, “Damn it, you were only supposed to warn the ghouls away—why did it turn out like this? I thought we were friends!”_

_“We are friends, Hi-chan,” was Itori's gentle rebuke, as she flipped back long hair casually,“But don't forget—what you want isn't always what others want.”_

_Itori teaches Hide a terrible lesson, something that both Kaneki and Touka had tried to explain to him once. He never really got it until the screams of the first Mado squad reverberated in his ears._

_The lesson is this: the world is wrong.)_

Still, even if Hide doesn't trust Itori, he knows her information is good, if paid for properly. He likes her less than before, of course, and he's positive they are no longer friends. They're not enemies, though. Perhaps they are acquaintances. He's wary of her, and acknowledges the danger she presents, both with her sly tongue and ghoulish strength, but even if he can't trust her as a person, Hide can trust Itori's information. Nevertheless, he is uneasy, so Hide doesn't object at all when Kaneki insists on accompanying the human to Itori's bar, Helter Skelter. 

“Ah, Kanekichi! Hi-chan!” Itori waved to them when they enter, all bright smiles, as if last year's fiasco had been nothing, “Long time no see!” 

“Hello, Itori,” Kaneki responded. He had ditched his customary wig and glasses combo, and instead wore a hooded jacket to hide his distinctive hair. In lieu of his usual dress, Kaneki donned another disguise: his eyes grew chilly and his voice evened out into a careful monotone. 

Kaneki's subtle shift in persona bothered Hide, but the blond said nothing about it. 

“Heeeey, Itori!” Hide grinned, all sunshine and cheer in contrast to Kaneki's dark seriousness, “How's it going?” 

Itori laughed and poured drinks as her guests took seats at the bar. Helter Skelter was empty save for the the three of them, and both Hide and Kaneki knew that the emptiness was planned. Itori obviously wanted to give the pair her full attention, and they were unsure whether or not they should be flattered. 

Kaneki easily accepted the glass of deep red liquid Itori passed him, but Hide waved away the glass he was offered. Itori was being cheeky—she poured both drinks from the same bottle, and Kaneki only ever drank one thing while at Itori's bar. 

“Just a water, thanks,” Hide laughed, pretending that Itori didn't just invite him to indulge in some cannibalism, “I'm kind of a lightweight with alcohol.” 

“I bet you're a clingy drunk,” Itori snickered as she handed him a sealed water bottle. Hide took the bottle, recognizing the gesture for what it was. He had just passed a test—an easy one. 

“Ah, maybe,” Hide shrugged as he cracked open the water bottle, “You'd have to ask someone else.” 

“So what can I do for you, boys?” Itori asked, getting straight to business. 

“Weeeeell,” Hide drawled, a mischievous grin on his lips, “We were wondering if you have any good stories to tell—maybe something about Aogiri Tree?” 

“Oh?” Itori grinned, easily slipping into the game, “I might—depends on what you're looking for...And what you're willing to pay.” 

Hide winced and tried to wrack his brain for suitable information to give in exchange. Itori noticed, and laughed lightly. 

“Well, I suppose I can let you guys ask first, since it's been so long since we last met,” Itori said teasingly, though her eyes were sharp, “But you better provide me with something equally as good.” 

Hide frowned briefly, before letting his face morph back to his usual smile. It was a little forced, but he doubted Itori would mind. 

“What's their reason for attacking that press conference?” Kaneki asked as he absentmindedly swirled his drink, “That was a flashy move, even for them.” 

“Mmm—well, there is the fact that the research presented at that press conference can lead to cheaper RC-suppressants,” Itori pointed out. In unison, both Kaneki and Hide scoffed. 

“If they wanted to just stop the production of suppressants, they would have killed all the scientists and burned the research papers,” Hide rolled his eyes, unimpressed with her offering, “They kidnapped the lead researcher, Terada-sensei. Why?” 

Itori paused, a small smile on her face. Clever boy. 

“Rumor has it that Aogiri's pet scientist wanted to compare notes,” Itori replied, her sharp eyes trained on Kaneki. The half-ghoul didn't disappoint. 

“Kanou...” Kaneki whispered, his face going pale. 

Hide snorted, drawing Itori's attention back on him (and away from Kaneki), “Kanou will only get half the picture then.” 

This caused Itori's eyes to brighten, “Oh?” 

Inwardly, Hide braced himself. It was time to pay for her information with a little of their own, though he had to be careful with what he revealed. 

Outwardly, Hide nodded, “Yeah. The sensei might have been the one supervising the project, but it was one of his students that took it to the next level. That student was the real brains behind the project.” 

“Which student?” Itori asked curiously. Hide flashed her a smirk. 

“Sorry, Itori,” Hide grinned, clearly unapologetic, “That's above your pay grade.” 

Itori laughed, acknowledging their win, and didn't push, “Alright, alright. Enjoy your drinks, boys.” 

– 

Hide waited until Kaneki had finished his drink before the pair left Helter Skelter. Hide watched as his friend sipped the deep red liquid. The blond could remember when they were younger. Hide had always assumed that once they grew up, they would eventually go bar crawling together. Back then, Hide used to tease Kaneki that the quiet bookworm's first drink would be some fruity mixed beverage with a dumb paper umbrella, and that Kaneki would become a blushing mess with alcohol in his system. The teenaged Hide had imagined it so well, and had even planned on buying Kaneki that silly fruity drink as soon as they were of age. 

Hide never got the chance to do such a thing for Kaneki. They never got to go bar crawling together. Usually, the blond didn't think about it all that much, but watching Kaneki's lips touch that crimson fluid made the human think of all the missed opportunities. 

Not to mention, Kaneki was never flustered when he drank. Instead, blood wine made his eyes turn to reflective glass, unreadable and cold, as if he was watching some part of his heart turn to ash. 

“Are you ready to go?” Hide prompted with a gentle smile, as soon as Kaneki's glass was drained. Kaneki nodded. The pair left the bar, waving to Itori as they went. 

They took the long way back home and pulled their jacket hoods low over their faces. As they walked, Hide noticed Kaneki's slumped form and too tight fists. The blond stopped. Of course Kaneki would be a morose drunk. Of course. Hide looked around quickly to make sure they were alone, and then pulled his friend into a secluded alley. 

“Hey, are you okay?” Hide asked quietly, his tone laced with worry. Kaneki shrugged halfheartedly. 

Hide sighed, placing gentle hands on Kaneki's shoulders. He could guess at what was bothering the other. It wasn't rocket science. 

“It's Kanou, isn't it?” 

Another weak shrug. 

“Look,” Hide began, licking his lips nervously, “It's—ugh, I'm not going to say it's okay, because its _not_ okay. Kanou is—well, he's a—” 

“He's a fucker, just say it Hide,” Kaneki growled inhumanly, flicking up hetero-chromatic eyes to stare at the blond's face, “He's a fucking bastard, and he's working for Aogiri. I would say I hate his damn guts, but I think I'd like to have them for dinner.” 

Those mismatched eyes looked back down, faintly ashamed. 

“I hate that I hate him so damn much. It's scary how much I want to rip him into tiny fucking pieces,” Kaneki whispered, his shoulders quaking in Hide's grip, “...I feel like a monster.” 

Hide pulled Kaneki into a hug. It was like holding a wooden board. Kaneki stood still, not grasping back, his body tense in Hide's arms. 

“You're not a monster,” Hide whispered, holding on tight, “You're you. And...it's not wrong to be angry. It's not wrong to hate him. That's a very human—a very _normal_ reaction.” 

“Normal, huh?” Kaneki mumbled into Hide's shoulder, barely keeping himself together. 

“Yeah, normal,” Hide echoed, “Just don't let it consume you. And if you feel like it's getting to be too much, you know that Touka and I are here for you. You don't have to bear your burdens alone anymore.” 

The damn broke. Kaneki sobbed against Hide's shoulder, the sound barely muffled. Hide held Kaneki through it, rubbing the half-ghoul's back gently. 

Suddenly, it hit Hide that Kaneki had been a half-ghoul for only three years. Between the trauma under Jason, becoming a partial kakuja, and then hiding from the CCG, Kaneki never really had time to fully heal from all the mental bullshit he had gone through. Oh sure, Touka and Hide had helped Kaneki deal with part of it, but there were ragged brittle edges to Kaneki's very being that only time could fix. And all that damage started with Kanou. 

Hide was glad that he and Touka were around to help Kaneki through all this shit. Who knew what sort of lost soul Kaneki would have become without them? 

Finally after a few minutes, Kaneki's tears slowed, and he peeked up at Hide's face with two silvery gray eyes. Hide let go of Kaneki slowly before reaching into his pocket and pulling out a packet of tissues. The half-ghoul took the tissues with a nod of thanks. 

“Come on, Touka's waiting for us,” Hide said quietly. 

Kaneki flashed a watery grin, “Yeah.” 

– 

The rest of the trip back to their apartment was a blur for both Hide and Kaneki. They had leaned against each other like a couple of drunks, pressing close together as if to remind themselves that the other was still there. As soon as they had opened the front door to their place, it had been a relief to see Touka waiting for them, despite the late hour. She had taken one look at the pair of them, herded them to the couch, and pressed warm mugs of coffee into their hands without a word. She also passed over one of Kaneki's novels—a well-loved fantasy instead of a horror, judging by the cover. Then she had settled on the couch with them, wordlessly offering love and comfort. 

If Hide hadn't already been certain, this proved it: Touka was a goddess. 

Sometime later, Touka and Hide had left the couch solely to their roommate as they went to clean the kitchen together. Kaneki was currently passed out on the couch, his empty mug of coffee on the floor next to him, and his hands weakly curled around the book. Privately, Hide resolved to remind Kaneki to bring that novel with him to :re. Arima would probably enjoy it. 

With great gentleness, Touka plucked the novel from Kaneki's grasp, and drew a blanket over him. She smiled, her face soft in a way only her roommates ever saw, as Kaneki murmured sleepily and rolled over. She and Hide shared a look before they both tiptoed to the study, leaving Kaneki to his rest. 

Touka raised one elegant eyebrow at the human as soon as Hide shut the door behind them, silently inquiring. Hide promptly answered. 

“It's Kanou,” he sighed, keeping his voice low. A myriad of emotions flickered across Touka's face then: shock, anger, sorrow, and then finally, tired determination. 

“Kanou, huh?” Touka muttered, her voice scarily neutral in imitation of Eyepatch's monotone. 

“Yeah,” Hide exhaled, scrubbing a hand through his messy hair, “I guess it was too much to hope that One-Eyed Owl would eat the bastard.” 

Touka snorted, “Owl can wait in line.” 

“Agreed,” Hide nodded curtly. 

“So, Kanou and Aogiri,” Touka mused, her eyes flinty and thoughtful, “This isn't exactly news—we've known for ages that they were working together.” 

“It _is_ the first time they've started to be more active in awhile,” Hide pointed out, “I think Kanou's hit a road block with his hybridization experiment. Why else would he be interested in replicating RC-cells? He's grasping for some sort of inspiration.” 

“And Kimi got caught in the middle of it,” Touka hissed, hugging herself, “Damn.” 

Hide nodded, “Yeah. I don't know what we can do—Aogiri is going to figure out eventually that Kimi's the key, and they _will_ go after her.” 

“Kimi is in a _coma_ ,” Touka growled, her eyes flashing, “She can't do anything.” 

“They might try to kidnap her anyway,” Hide bit his lip, worrying the flesh, “Or they'll try when she wakes up. The CCG currently doesn't have any guards on her, and I don't know if I can convince anyone to watch over her.” 

Touka was silent for a moment, her eyes distant as she thought. 

“Then, just try your best to persuade them,” Touka sighed after a bit, her eyes clearing as she met Hide's gaze, “In the meantime, let's see what we can do to track down Aogiri.” 

– 

Kanou Akihiro was a busy man. As always, he was eagerly working on his life's mission, his magnum opus. As with any great work, Kanou faced numerous challenges. His success rate was quite low: there were only two experiments that he was pleased with. All other subjects were floppies, or worse, simply died on the table. 

It was disappointing, to say the least. 

But at least there was a ray of hope—correction, there was _more_ than a single ray. Smiling contently to himself, Kanou flipped through several pages of freshly inked notes. 

Terada Shotaro, the Kamii university professor in charge of the RC-cell replication project, was currently Aogiri's guest. Kanou had yet to speak with Terada himself, but there were those among Aogiri who were questioning Terada in Kanou's place. 

It had taken a little...persuasion, but Terada was now singing like a songbird, providing Kanou's proxies with a wealth of information. Kanou was in the midst of sorting through the provided notes, but unfortunately, Kanou's stand-ins didn't possess the subtlety of language to grasp all the concepts and ideas Kanou desired. Just looking through the notes, Kanou could tell there was something _missing._

Ah well. Perhaps Kanou would go himself and share a cup of tea with Terada, as fellow men of science. Provided, of course, that Terada's throat had healed from all the screaming. 

Beyond Terada's cooperation, there was another bit of good news for Kanou. Smiling to himself, Kanou pulled over another folder, and opened it to the first page. A photograph of a dark-haired young man smiled back to him, a memory of an innocence long gone. 

There are other pictures in the file as well, though those featured white hair and blurred movement. They were candid photographs, unlike the first one which was a posed portrait. All of the images were outdated. Kanou made a note to have someone take new photos. Snapshots were one of the best way to observe growth, after all. 

“Hello, Doctor,” a childish voice greeted, breaking Kanou from his thoughts. Kanou turned to meet his visitor, a warm smile on his face. A slight figure dressed in bandages and a purple hooded dress sauntered into his laboratory. Despite her short stature, the doctor's visitor walked with the confidence of a predator at the top of the food chain. 

“Ah, Eto, lovely to see you,” Kanou replied, rising from his seat to take the bandaged ghoul’s hand. Ever the gentleman, the doctor pressed a chaise kiss to her wrapped hand. Eto giggled. 

“I assume you heard the news,” Eto purred, skipping past Kanou to drape herself in the chair he had just vacated. The doctor nodded. 

“Oh yes,” Kanou smiled wistfully as he fingered the nearby files, “Apparently, Kaneki-kun had a brother. Utter hogwash, of course, to hide more delightful news.” 

“Kaneki Ken is alive,” Eto murmured, tapping her lips thoughtfully, “You must be overjoyed, Doctor.” 

“Of course!” Kanou laughed heartily, “I was very disappointed when I heard that my precious prototype had died during the CCG’s operation 2 years ago. But Kaneki-kun surprised us all again.” 

“He is a clever child,” Eto agreed, grinning behind her bandages. 

“Indeed,” Kanou said, his usual grandfatherly smile in place, “I am quite eager to see what sort of data he will produce.” 

“Mmm,” Eto hummed, “He is certainly an interesting fellow. Perhaps I will let him play with my toys. I am sure Daddy would be very happy to see me sharing with Kaneki-kun.” 

Kanou laughed again as he turned his attention to the tank in the middle of the room. The tank’s occupant didn’t stir, steady breathing the only sign he was alive. He slept quietly, but his back was splayed open, revealing gaping slots where organs once rested. 

“I’m sure Yoshimura-san would be very happy to hear you say that, Eto,” Kanou told her, conviction in his voice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Callback to chapter 4 of APoF this chapter, with Hide remembering his last run in with Itori. Even though the dialogue is the same from chapter 4, this time we get to see for sure that Hide was talking to Itori.  
> Also, happy birthday, Kaneki! (Sorry I made you cry.)  
> Edit: Holy fuck, I almost forgot it was Arima's birthday today too! Happy birthday, Arima (even though I'm pissed off at you in canon).


	9. Break

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Oh, come off it, Urie,” Shirazu snapped, “Everyone knows Hide freaks out if anything happens to Touka-chan or Sassan. They're his family.”

Kaneki was standing in front of the bathroom mirror at his apartment staring at his reflection. He was halfway through getting ready for the day. His clothes were on and so were his glasses, but he had yet to put on his brown wig, leaving his dual colored hair in full view. To his surprise, his kakugan was active, looking infinitely odd behind Sasaki Haise's glasses. Overall, the effect made him look like he was caught between his two identities. Kaneki and Sasaki. Ghoul and human. 

He wasn't sure if he was awake or dreaming. It felt like both. It felt like neither. 

It had never dawned on him until now how _wonderful_ the past two years of peace had been. Living as Sasaki Haise was like a sweet dream. He was surrounded by people he loved and who in turn loved him. He rarely had to fight outside of daily training. He spent his days reading and cooking. His life was happy, gentle. 

Human. 

He loved it, so very much. 

Really, he should have known that such a quiet life would never last. Aogiri was on the move, and even if he tried to avoid the conflict, he wouldn't delude himself into thinking that conflict would avoid _him._ Kanou would have received reports of the “new” Eyepatch ghoul running around Tokyo. Kaneki knew Kanou was intelligent. The mad doctor would easily deduce that there was no new ghoul, and Kaneki was alive. 

If Hide was right, and Kanou was hitting a road block in his hybridization experiment, then there was no way that the good doctor would leave Kaneki alone. And if their pet doctor was interested in something, Aogiri as a whole would be interested. 

A dark expression foreign to Sasaki Haise settled over Kaneki's features. Unconsciously, the half-ghoul cracked a finger, his mind whirling. 

Fuck Kanou. Fuck Aogiri. If he could, Kaneki would pluck them—toss out the bad beans. He would kill them without remorse. Both Kanou and Aogiri had wronged him, and he had never gotten closure for the damage that had been done. 

The “ghoul” known as Centipede would take great delight in cracking his enemies' bones, and peeling the flesh off their broken frames. Centipede wanted to tear, maim, kill—and then feast. The hot blood of his foes sliding down his throat would thrill the kakuja. Perhaps eating would soothe the ache that flared in his heart. 

The “human” known as Sasaki Haise would be horrified at those dark thoughts. Haise's world consisted of a lovely cafe, friends, and human food he could never eat. There was no room for violence in his life. But Haise was afraid. In the upcoming conflict, how could such a soft personality survive, let alone protect everything he cared about? Anteiku, :re, Hide, Touka—He would lose them all to his own weakness, just like before. 

Grow strong. Protect everyone. 

Grow strong. Lose everything. 

He couldn't. He could _not._ He didn't want to lose anything or anyone—not again. He stood frozen, stuck between his past and his present. Move forward one way, and he loses himself to old hunger and madness. Move forward another way, he loses his life to weakness and failure. 

Where could he go? Where? _What?_ What could he do to keep the life he loved? 

_'Might makes right,'_ Centipede hissed in Kaneki's ear, the soft _click, click_ of insect legs echoing with each word, _'Become strong and you'll never lose anything. Throw away your weakness.'_

What was weakness? 

_'How foolish,'_ Haise sighed in Kaneki's other ear, that imagined voice soft and sweet like the cakes he baked, _'Haven't we learned? Don't rip out our heart in the pursuit of power. There are other ways to be strong.'_

What was strength? 

“I'm not strong,” Kaneki whispered to his reflection, his frustrated tears blurring his vision, “I just don't want to lose them. Touka, Hide—I just want to stay with them!” 

Suddenly, Kaneki froze as he felt small imaginary hands latch onto his pants' leg, shaking fingers grasping at the fabric. He didn't want to look down. He already knew which illusion was pressing against him, and he didn't want to see that small face. 

(Mommy, mommy, I'm sorry!) 

_'Want?'_ the voice of a beaten child murmured, almost chiding in his tone, _'It's a mistake to want something, remember?'_

– 

Arima never said it out loud, but he was partial to visiting :re. At least, he enjoyed it as well as someone like him could enjoy something. He made it a point to carve out a small period of time each Wednesday to visit the coffee shop. 

It was odd, how much he came to like the cafe. Most days he felt too—removed/detached/distant—to like anything. But he liked :re. 

(Or perhaps he liked the company?) 

Haise was nothing like Arima. Gentle and kind, Haise was so painfully a weak civilian, it was as if he and Arima came from completely different worlds. Really, it was no wonder that Touka hovered over her coworker like a worried mother hen. Haise was too soft. Arima simply couldn't understand it, Haise's gentle kindness—Haise's humanity. 

Haise had a soft heart, and he showed it openly. Haise's fragility was obvious to anyone, even someone one as empty as Arima. So on Wednesday, when Haise kept staring off into space with a troubled face, Arima noticed. 

“Is something wrong, Haise?” Arima asked politely. Quickly, the younger man flashed his normal smile. 

“It's nothing, Arima,” Haise quickly assured. Arima frowned. 

“I see,” Arima said simply without inflection. Haise sighed, his shoulders slumping. 

“Ah, I'm sorry,” Haise apologized, looking distant again as he scratched at his chin, “It's just...one of our employees, his fiancee is in the hospital. Ghoul attack.” 

“I'm sorry to hear that,” Arima responded promptly with the socially expected reply. Haise nodded, accepting the investigator's words at face value. 

“...Do you know any of the particulars of her case?” Arima asked, surprising Haise with a follow up question. 

“She was one of the victims of the attack at Kamii University, the one that's on the news,” Haise answered, “I'm sure you have more information on what is going on than me.” 

“I do,” Arima confirmed. He was leading the Aogiri Countermeasures Force, after all. 

“Would you like me to tell you what we know?” Arima asked. Haise looked tempted to take Arima's offer, but then he gave a small smile and shook his head. 

“That's not necessary. Just promise me you'll do your best to capture the ones responsible.” 

“Of course. I promise,” Arima said with quiet conviction. 

– 

Kanou was alone in the the lovely laboratory that Aogiri provided for him. Currently, he was flipping through a few notes, a faint frown marring his features. 

“Your proxies are terrible at gathering information from a subject,” Eto's voice announced suddenly, breaking the silence. Kanou didn't bother to turn around to try to look for her. If Eto didn't show herself, he would never be able to find her. 

“Hello, Eto,” Kanou responded calmly, completely unruffled at her game of hide and seek, “You are correct. I haven't been able to get meaningful information from Terada-sensei. A pity.” 

If Kanou Akihiro were a lesser man, he would have been furiously screaming. But seeing that he was who he was, he merely smiled as he flipped through the latest reports from his proxies. 

Apparently, Aogiri had captured the wrong target. Terada-sensei knew _nothing_ of use. 

“The men you had question Terada-sensei were...inadequate to the task,” Eto snickered, the faint flicker of her shadow dancing at the corner of Kanou's eye before vanishing again, “I hope you don't mind, but I took the liberty of questioning Terada myself. It took a little persuading on my part, but he did eventually start talking. He had a lovely voice. And, he provided a few names.” 

“Oh?” Kanou smiled eagerly, his eyes glinting. Eto laughed, bell like. Suddenly, she was right behind the doctor, her lips next to his ear. 

“Nishino Kimi,” she breathed into Kanou's ear, “That was one of the names Terada provided.” 

Kanou turned to face the bandaged ghoul, but Eto had already skipped away, hiding in the shadows. 

“Interesting,” Kanou mused without missing a beat, “I will need to look into this Nishino Kimi.” 

“Do you need to borrow my toys, Doctor?” Eto's voice offered magnanimously from somewhere above Kanou's head. 

“Why thank you, Eto. That is most kind,” Kanou nodded as laid down the papers. Eto's giggles echoed throughout the room. 

– 

Nishiki would never admit to it, but he was grateful that the rest of Anteiku was assisting him now. It took him awhile, but he realized it had been damn reckless fighting Aogiri alone. Of course, the plan wasn't to fight Aogiri—that was stupid. Even with Anteiku backing him, Aogiri outnumbered them easily. As much as Nishiki thirsted for revenge, the others pointed out a simple truth: you can't do anything if you're dead. 

As a result, Nishiki found himself focusing on other things, Kimi being the most important of those. She wasn't dead, just injured, and his focus had to be on her. While there was nothing he could do to make her wake up faster, he could make sure that everything was prepared for her when she _did_ wake up. 

The first step was to check in on her apartment. It had been three (almost four) weeks, and Nishiki figured that it was a good idea to clean up the place in preparation for Kimi's return. There was rent to be paid, laundry to be done, and old food to be thrown out. Not to mention there were research notes that Nishiki could collect. While much of the official research was destroyed or taken during the attack on Kamii, Kimi kept her own personal notes at home. Not to mention, the prototype machine for the synthetic meat was there as well. 

Both Touka and Haise volunteered to help Nishiki organize Kimi's apartment. They decided to stop by Kimi's place in the middle of the day, after the lunch rush, when things were slow at :re. They knew from experience that there would be only a few patrons at the cafe for a few hours giving them plenty of time to take care of the apartment. Hinami and Yomo could easily handle :re by themselves for the time being. 

Nishiki frowned as he observed Haise out of the corner of his eye. Everyone at :re could tell that the half-ghoul was troubled by the last couple of days. Normally, Nishiki would have been able to handle cleaning Kimi's apartment by himself, but it was obvious Haise needed to get some fresh air. And of course Touka was going to hover over the half-ghoul while he was in this sort of mood. Really, all Nishiki needed was Nagachika to show up, and he'd have the set. 

Ah well, hopefully Haise would snap out of his weird mood soon. Nishiki resolved not to worry about it, and instead focused on what was really important, namely Kimi. Besides Touka was hovering over Haise enough for everyone. 

“Really,” Touka was saying as they walked towards Kimi's apartment, “It's not a problem if you decided to take a few days off to relax, Haise. We'll be fine.” 

“But Touka-chan, I don't need a vacation,” Haise laughed, much more lighthearted than Kaneki ever was. 

Touka sighed, “Haise, you've been stressed out. Ev—” 

“Wait, shut up a second,” Nishiki growled, cutting Touka off. His eyes narrowed as he caught sight of something suspicious. Nishiki noticed it as soon as they got close to Kimi's apartment. The door to her apartment was slightly ajar. 

“Did Kimi forget to lock the door?” Touka asked curiously, her brows furrowing. 

Nishiki shook his head, “No, I—wait.” 

Stilling, Nishiki sniffed the air discretely. 

“Shit!” Nishiki swore, his nose picking up the scent of unknown ghouls inside Kimi's home. He raced on ahead, shoving open the door with his shoulder. 

“Nishio-sempai!” Haise called out as he and Touka followed the older ghoul. As soon as they were both inside, Haise shut the door behind them out of habit. 

It was a good thing that he had done so, or else someone would have spotted a group of people squaring off against each other, kakugan gleaming in the darkness. It took a moment, and the truth was shocking, but Haise realized that Kimi's apartment was being robbed by two unknown _ghouls._

“W-what?” Haise blurted out, his eyes growing wide. 

“Aogiri,” Nishiki spat, recognizing the cloaks the two intruders wore. 

“Holy fuck!” one of the Aogiri ghouls gasped, “See, I told you it smelled like a ghoul was living here.” 

“Look man,” the second Aogiri member snarled at Nishiki, “Mess with us, and you mess with the whole Tree!” 

That was the wrong thing to say. With a bestial growl, Nishiki's kagune erupted from behind him, the thick tail punching a wide hole in the second Aogiri ghoul's chest before whipping up and crushing the corpse's head like a rotten fruit. Viscera was painted grotesquely across the wall, filling the air with the foul stench of ghoul blood. On reflex, Haise clapped a hand over his left eye right before his kakugan bloomed to life, and curled in on himself. Touka looked over at him worriedly. 

“Oh shit,” the first ghoul whimpered, edging away nervously from Nishiki, “You're Anteiku's Serpent.” 

Nishiki grinned viciously, his kagune lashing the air, “I see my reputation precedes me.” 

“Why the fuck is Aogiri here?!” Touka snarled, bringing up her fists in a guard position. 

Before anyone could say anything in response, three more ghouls walked out of the bedroom, their hands filled with papers and damaged electronics. 

_'Shit, the prototype!'_ Nishiki cursed inwardly, recognizing parts of the broken machine the ghouls were carrying. His heart sank. 

“What the hell?” one of the newcomers gasped in confusion. A second newcomer, quicker on the uptake, vaulted over to Haise, and slammed the half-ghoul against a wall. 

“Back away, Anteiku, or I skewer your friend,” the ghoul holding Haise growled. If the white suit the ghoul was wearing didn't flag Haise's attacker as one of Naki's underlings, then a cracking finger _did._ At the sound, Haise's body went rigid, his breathing suddenly labored. 

“Shit,” Nishiki hissed under his breath, his whole body humming with adrenaline. Meanwhile, Touka turned a hard glare at Haise's captor, concern for her roommate spiking through her. 

“Let him go, you bastard,” Touka murmured quietly, a faint rumble of a threat hinted at in her tone, “Or you'll regret it.” 

The ghoul merely sneered at her in contempt, “Who the hell do you think you are, you whore?” 

For a moment, no one moved. There was just stillness. Then— 

“Don't you dare talk to her like that, you fucking trash,” Kaneki growled in a dark dangerous voice, his previous gentle demeanor flung away like an unneeded coat. He looked up, staring at his captor with mismatched eyes. 

Kaneki didn't bother to wait for a reaction before scarlet rinkaku unfurled and preceded to eviscerate his captor, ripping and tearing without mercy. The Aogiri ghoul fell to the floor in a messy pile of parts. Blood splattered across the half-breed's face, and reflexively, his tongue poked out to taste some. 

“Fuck, ghouls still taste awful,” Kaneki groaned, though there was something frightfully eager in his voice. Instantly, there was a panicked shout. 

“It's a One-Eyed!” 

“Rush 'em!” 

The three remaining Aogiri members tried to all charge Kaneki at once, but they were outmatched. Kaneki tore through them like they were wet paper. It was over in seconds. His kagune impaled and slashed. One ghoul was bisected, falling over in two neat symmetrical pieces. Another died with a choking gasp, fingers vainly trying to cover the gaping wound that tore apart his neck. As he died, he tried vainly to draw breath, only for frothy crimson to spill on his fingers. The last was impaled over and over, and fell to the ground filled with holes. At the end of it, Kaneki simply stared at the carcasses, his expression blank and terrible, like a broken doll. 

“Sasa—ah, Kaneki?” Nishiki corrected himself hesitantly, dread pooling in his gut. 

“Stay...away,” Kaneki hissed out, as he clutched his head. With a whimper, the half-breed fell to his knees before the corpses, his eyes unseeing. His kagune twisted in the air, shuddering. Without thinking, he swiped his hand through a pool of blood and brought his fingers to his mouth. Kaneki sucked greedily, until every trace of the scarlet liquid was gone. 

“I...Why am I hungry?” Kaneki whimpered, his now clean hand pressing against his salivating mouth, “It tastes terrible. I...I—” 

Touka wrapped her arms around him, enveloping the halfbreed in a warm hug. Unconsciously, Kaneki turned his nose into her shoulder, burying his face against her. 

“T-Touka? I-I...I'm _sorry,_ ” he whispered against her, his whole body shivering, “I'm sorry.” 

“It's alright,” Touka soothed, carding her hands through his hair, “Shh, shh. Calm down. It's alright. You're alright.” 

“I want more,” Kaneki confessed hesitantly—guiltily, “I...I _shouldn't._ It tastes awful. But I want it. I _want_ it. I thought I was over this! Why—why do I want it?” 

He buried his nose more firmly into her shoulder, inhaling deep. Ah, it was like that time two years ago, back during the Anteiku raid. 

That scent. Touka and Hide smelled so much alike, despite their different species. It was hard to describe that scent, but it was _wonderful._ It was like comfort, home, and everything Kaneki had ever _wanted_ —it was like warm quivering meat, soothing the gnawing hunger. Slowly, Kaneki's eyes started to close into a blissful smile before they snapped opened, horrified. He struggled against her, trying to push her away, but she held on fast. 

“Touka, you have to get away from me!” Kaneki begged, even as his fingers curled into the fabric of her clothes, “Please...” 

“It's alright,” Touka whispered again, still petting him, “Idiot Kaneki. Look, you're already fighting it. You won't hurt me.” 

“You don't know that!” he growled, even as he turned his face back into her shoulder, his body relaxing into her warmth, “You...you don't know that. Not for sure.” 

– 

Hide was just entering the CCG's Main Office building with his squad when his phone rang. A quick glace at the device let him know it was from Nishiki. 

“Sorry guys, let me get this really fast,” Hide apologized before answering his phone, aware of his squad still hovering close by. 

“Hey, can this be quick?” Hide asked briskly, “My squad and I were just about to head into a meeting.” 

_“Ditch it, Nagachika,”_ Nishiki snapped, _“We got a situation on our hands.”_

Hide's expression smoothed over, showing nothing, “What kind of situation?” 

_“Aogiri was robbing Kimi's apartment. The notes are in shambles and they destroyed the prototype,”_ Nishiki growled, his voice edged with anger and frustration. 

“Shit,” Hide hissed, his eyes going wide, “Are you alright?” 

_“The intruders are all dead, and physically, we're all fine,”_ Nishiki responded, though there was a touch of panic in his voice, _“But Kaneki...shit—it's not good. He's fighting it, but he's a hair's breath from going kakuja on our asses, and eating the corpses.”_

Hide couldn't help the horror that showed on his face. It was no secret that cannibalism fucked with a ghoul's mind. Kaneki was evidence of this. Ever since the Anteiku raid, the half-ghoul had stayed away from eating other ghouls, and was rightfully terrified of what it did to his mental state. That didn't mean that Kaneki didn't sometimes crave the power _(the rush)_ that ghoul flesh provided him. But he was on the wagon. He _was._

Suddenly, Hide came to the quiet realization that all of the recent stress had probably strained Kaneki's mind more than they had all thought. 

“Is there something wrong, Nagachika?” Akira asked, her voice laced with concern. Hide snapped up wide brown eyes to her, struggling to reign in his emotions. His heart hammered loudly in his chest as he tried to be careful with his words and actions. He held up a finger to delay her, and turned his attention back to the phone conversation. 

“Shit,” Hide hissed into his phone, “Haise was there? Where's Touka?” 

_“She's calming him down, but we need to get Kaneki out of here,” _Nishiki replied, _“There's fucking blood everywhere, and it's not helping with his mental state.”_ __

“Is there anyplace that's, uh, clean?” Hide asked, painfully away of his squad watching him pace furiously. 

_“Didn't you hear anything I said? There's blood everywhere. The whole place reeks of it, and he's fucking_ hungry!” Nishiki snarled, _“And we're not any cleaner. If we go out like this, we're going to get fucking arrested. And before you ask, there are no clean clothes. Aogiri trashed Kimi's closet while looking for shit.”_

Hide cursed and pulled at his hair, losing his cool just a bit, “Damn it, damn it, _damn it_! Shit. I'll be there in ten minutes with a car. Just relax, okay?” 

Nishiki barked out a nervous laugh, _“Easy for you to say. Get here fast. And bring clothes if you can.”_

“I'm on my way right now. You'll be fine,” Hide assured the older male before he hung up his phone. 

“Something the matter, Nagachika?” Akira asked, one elegant eyebrow raised. Hide winced. 

“Akira, I gotta go. Family emergency,” Hide explained quickly, bowing in apology, “I'm really, really sorry.” 

Akira nodded, waving him off, “Go!” 

Hide bolted. 

– 

As soon as Hide was out of sight, the rest of the Mado squad turned to Akira. 

“Are you sure you should let him go like that?” Saiko asked, frowning slightly, “Papa looked really distressed. Maybe we should help him?” 

“Marude-san will scold us if we show up without sempai,” Mutsuki added as he wrung his hands worriedly. 

“And Nagachika was lying,” Urie snorted, rolling his eyes. 

“Eh?” Saiko blinked, confused. 

Urie shrugged, “It's obvious. He said it was a family matter. Nagachika has never mentioned any family that lives within Tokyo. Either they live far away or he isn't close to them. And he kept referencing his roommates, Touka and Haise, was it? What do his roommates have to do with his family?” 

“Everything,” Akira replied, puzzle pieces clicking into place, “If the family he was talking about _was_ his roommates.” 

Urie snorted, “Roommates aren't family. Nagachika is breaking policy. Family emergencies only.” 

“Oh, come off it, Urie,” Shirazu snapped, “Everyone knows Hide freaks out if anything happens to Touka-chan or Sassan. They're his family.” 

“Roommates aren't family,” Urie repeated. His squad ignored him. 

– 

“Hide!” Touka sighed in relief the instant the blond entered Kimi's apartment. She and Kaneki were still huddled together on the floor, holding each other for support. Hide made a beeline for them, ignoring everything else. 

“You guys alright?” Hide asked as he knelt down next to them. Slowly, they both nodded. 

“Yeah, we're good for now,” Touka replied shakily, her fingers still twined around Kaneki's, “But I really want to go home and drink some coffee.” 

“I brought a van and some blankets,” Hide offered as he slung one of the said blankets over the shoulders of his roommates, “There, that should disguise the worst of the mess. Just get into the van and wait for me, okay? I need to talk to Nishio-sempai, and evaluate the scene to see what we can do to cover this up.” 

“Where did you get the van from?” Kaneki asked quietly, blinking almost sleepily. Hide grinned and flashed him a thumbs up. 

“From the CCG, of course!” Hide chirped, “Back when I was working in Division II, Director Washuu Yoshitoki taught me how to hot-wire all of the CCG's vehicles. He even taught me how to hijack Special Class Marude's motorcycle.” 

Touka gaped openly at him, “You...you stole a CCG van to transport ghouls? Are you fucking mental?!” 

“Relax, Touka-chan,” Hide shrugged nonchalantly, “I didn't steal it, I _borrowed_ it. Pretty sure getting hot-wiring lessons from a Washuu counts as blanket approval.” 

Touka continued to gape a the human, her eyes wide and incredulous. Kaneki snickered, a small smile forming on his face to chase away the last of the lingering darkness that hung over him. Touka's wide-eyed shock slowly melted away into something more relaxed as Kaneki leaned against her, laughing. 

“Only you, Hide,” Kaneki laughed, shaking his head as that small smile grew, “We'll do our best to keep it clean. We don't want Director Washuu getting upset with you.” 

Touka sighed and rolled her eyes before she and Kaneki headed outside to get settled into the van. Hide shut the door behind them, his smile slipping off his face as he let a more serious air settle around him. He nodded briefly to Nishiki. 

Time to get down to business. 

Hide surveyed the wreckage that was once Kimi's apartment, and felt his stomach start to rebel. Nishiki hadn't been exaggerating when he said there was blood everywhere. There were splatters all the way up to the ceiling. 

Hide had read the old reports, but this was the first time seeing it in person. Kaneki really was brutal with the ghouls he killed. 

“I'm surprised the neighbors didn't notice anything,” Hide commented to Nishiki once his nausea was under control. 

“It's the middle of the day,” Nishiki shrugged, “Most of them are out at work, except for Kamiya-san, and she's mostly deaf from old age.” 

“That's good news at least,” Hide sighed, “What's not good is that I don't think we can cover this up.” 

“Can't you just claim you killed the ghouls?” Nishiki asked with a helpless expression. 

“Ha ha, but _no_ ,” Hide huffed, scrubbing a hand through his hair, “You crushed a ghoul's head and one dude is ripped into a dozen pieces. There's _kagune_ marks on all the corpses. Any idiot can tell ghouls killed them. The best I can do is fiddle a little with the evidence so that it doesn't trace back to specific ghouls, a.k.a. you guys.” 

“Shit,” Nishiki hissed, closing his eyes in defeat, “What can we do? The CCG is going to breathing down our necks!” 

“They already are—I'm part of a freaking task force set out to capture us,” Hide grumbled as he started to pace a little, “I don't want to tamper with the crime scene too much, but all these ghouls are obviously Aogiri with the clothes they're wearing. It's not a big leap to figure out that Anteiku was involved.” 

“What do you mean?” Nishiki demanded, “I thought you said you could change the evidence so it wouldn't reveal that it was us.” 

“Yeah, I can make it look like it wasn't you guys specifically, but think about it, Nishio-sempai,” Hide groaned, slightly defeated, “This is the 20th Ward; the CCG already knows it's Anteiku's territory. Plus these guys are Aogiri members fucking around with the home of one of victims of the Kamii press conference. Again, the CCG _knows_ that we are in conflict with Aogiri over the press conference. No one is going to believe for a _second_ that we weren't involved with this!” 

“Can't we strip the bodies?” Nishiki suggested, “No cloaks or masks, no hint that they're Aogiri.” 

“Oh yes, like _that_ won't be suspicious looking,” Hide rolled his eyes, “A whole bunch of random naked ghouls decided to break into the apartment of a Kamii press conference victim. Yeah, that's not suspicious at _all._ ” 

“Shut up, you shitty brat,” Nishiki huffed, crossing his arms angrily, “It was just a suggestion.” 

Hide sighed, some of the tension leaving his body, “Sorry, Nishio-sempai. I guess I'm letting the stress get to me.” 

“You and Kaneki both,” Nishiki snorted, pointedly not mentioning his own quest of vengeance, “Shit, but it's been awhile since I've seen Kaneki almost pop out his kakuja.” 

“Thank fuck that he didn't,” Hide murmured, “I'd never be able to hide it if he did. His Centipede kakuja leaves very distinctive marks.” 

“So, what _can_ we do to hide this shit?” Nishiki asked, “We have to be fast—eventually the neighbors are going to be back, and they're going to notice the smell of blood.” 

Hide narrowed his eyes as he thought. It didn't take long for inspiration to hit. A huge smile bloomed all over his face. 

“Hide this?” the human grinned, his eyes sharp and thoughtful, “Why should we hide anything?” 

– 

“Where the hell is Nagachika?” Marude demanded angrily, his eyebrow twitching. Most of the Mado flinched in the face of his anger. Even a few members from the Hirako and Suzuya squads blanched at Marude's ire. Akira, however, merely took a sip from her coffee, her face serene. 

“He had a family emergency,” Akira replied calmly, “We can fill him in afterwords.” 

Marude snorted, his face conveying his disbelief, “Yeah, bullshit. Try another one, Mado.” 

“Oh, oh, something happened to his roommates, didn't it?” Juuzo piped up, his head nodding in realization, “Hide is a bit overprotective of them. They're his family.” 

“Roommates?” Marude echoed, “Who are they and why is Nagachika skipping out on the meeting for them?” 

“You'd like them, they're cute,” Juuzo laughed, as he played with the pens and paper on the conference table, “And _interesting_! Hide talks about them all the time. They own a cafe.” 

“Nagachika is ditching the meeting for a pair of restauranteurs?!” Marude bellowed, slamming his fists into the table, “That little brat better not be skipping out to have tea and cookies!” 

Juuzo laughed heartily. 

“Marude,” Akira sighed, frowning a bit, “You know Nagachika. He takes his work very seriously. It sounded like a real emergency.” 

Marude snorted and crossed his arms over his chest, “A real emergency would be—” 

_RING!_ Suddenly, the conference room's phone started to sound, indicating an incoming call. Mutsuki leaned over to check the phone's screen to see who was calling. 

“It's Nagachika-sempai,” Mutsuki announced. 

“Answer it,” Marude sighed, rubbing his temples in an attempt to clear his sudden headache. Mutsuki nodded and put the phone on speaker to allow everyone to hear. 

“You are in deep shit, Nagachika,” Marude growled before Hide could say anything, “What the fuck are you doing? You should be doing your damn job!” 

_“You can yell at me later,”_ came Hide's retort. His voice was devoid of its usual good humor, leaving him sounding stoic. Akira frowned, her instincts humming to her. 

“There's been a ghoul attack, hasn't there?” Akira surmised. 

_“Yeah,”_ Hide answered, his voice a little tense. 

“Anyone hurt?” Akira questioned, concerned. 

_“Unless you count the ghouls, no,”_ Hide replied, though there was still tension in his voice, _“Look, it's a bit complicated. Let me give you the address and you can meet meet me here. I'll explain everything.”_

“Nagachika, in case you've forgotten, we are assigned to hunt down Anteiku,” Marude sneered, “We'll give the case for this incident over to someone else.” 

_“No can do, sir,”_ Hide countered, sounding a little more cheerful, _“Already did some analysis. Aogiri and Anteiku were definitely involved. See? I was doing my job.”_

Marude stared dumbfounded at the phone for a minute, before a wry smile touched his face. 

“...Brat. We'll see you soon.” 

– 

Hide and Nishiki stood outside of Kimi's apartment waiting for the CCG to arrive. Hide had insisted that Touka and Kaneki head back home, and avoid the ghoul investigators. To his surprise, neither had protested. In fact, Kaneki looked a bit relieved, acknowledging that he wasn't up to acting at the moment. 

Nishiki had changed into the clean clothing Hide had brought. The dirtied ones he sent away with Touka and Kaneki, careful not to leave extra evidence in the apartment. At the moment, the ghoul was shifting back and forth, clearly nervous. 

“You'll do fine, Nishio-sempai,” Hide whispered assuredly, “I mean, you interact with most of these guys at :re anyway.” 

“Yeah, but not in this context,” Nishiki hissed back, narrowing his eyes at the human. 

“Come on, it can't be worse than taking Arima's coffee order,” Hide laughed, patting the ghoul on the back. 

“Arima only comes in on Wednesdays,” Nishiki pointed out, “And I purposefully don't work Wednesdays.” 

Hide snickered, “Wuss. Hinami works Wednesdays.” 

“Sasaki corrupted Hinami—they both have a few screws loose, just like you and shitty Touka,” Nishiki snorted, “Hinami is part of their freaking book club.” 

“Huh, cool,” Hide grinned, “Did Tsukiyama join too?” 

“Fuck no,” Nishiki sneered, “Fucking Gourmet turned tail and ran the instant Sasaki told him the fucking CCG's Reaper was a member. Apparently, the narcissist has more brain cells than I thought. I for one will gladly stay far away from Arima Kishou.” 

“Well, there might be a problem with that,” Hide chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of his neck, “Knowing Marude, since Aogiri was involved, he would have informed the Aogiri Countermeasures Force. And Arima leads that group.” 

Nishiki stared at Hide in unabashed horror, “You're shitting me. The fucking Reaper is coming here?!” 

Hide shrugged, “Eh, he might not come himself. He does have more important things...” 

The blond was cut off when two vans marked with the CCG's logo pulled into the apartment complex's parking lot. Investigators exited the vehicles, including the Mado squad and investigators dressed in the trademarked hooded coats of Arima's 0 Squad. 

Nishiki shot the blond human a frosty glare. 

Hide laughed nervously, “Oops, jinxed us.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Why did the Aogiri ghouls break the prototype? Well, the machine is kind of big, clunky, and unwieldy, so they _tried_ taking it apart for ease of transportation, but yeah, none of them knew how it worked. As a result, they ended up breaking it.  
>  Also, Happy New Year!


	10. Spice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Damn it. They were fighting Aogiri with less than fifteen people, some of whom were not combat ready. They were so many different flavors of fucked, that Hide didn't know whether to laugh or cry.  
> Shit, they were crazy. And _screwed._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone for the kind responses. I was really blown away!

Arima Kishou was exactly as the rumors had said. The investigator gave off an aura of being more machine than man. Each movement he made was efficient, not a single drop of energy wasted. He was so very calculated. He cut an imposing figure in all white, a void in the world. His face was empty of emotion. He was nothingness. Empty. Inhuman, for all that he was humanity's champion. 

Nishiki was terrified. 

“Breathe, Nishio-sempai,” Hide whispered quickly to the ghoul as the rest of the CCG's representatives approached the Anteiku pair, “Be natural.” 

“Fuck you and a bag of dicks, Nagachika,” Nishiki hissed back as he willed himself to calm. To Nishiki's relief it wasn't Arima that approached them first, but a blond woman in a neatly pressed suit. 

“Hey Akira,” Hide greeted the woman, throwing a lazy salute, “How's it going?” 

“Nagachika,” she replied, a faint smile tugging at her lips, “With how you were acting earlier, I thought Touka and Haise would be here.” 

“Are you fucking kidding me?” Nishiki blurted out before he could stop himself, “Sasaki was freaking out, and shitty Touka was panicking over _him._ We sent those two home. They don't need to be grilled by you, damn it!” 

Hide groaned covering his face with his palm. 

“Classy, sempai, classy,” Hide grumbled, though he was hiding a small smile. 

“Shut up, brat, you agreed with me earlier,” Nishiki snorted, crossing his arms, “I saw the exact same shit that they did. Our accounts would be the same, so there's no need for all three of us to be fucking here.” 

“What happened?” Akira asked, “And who's your...charming friend, Nagachika? I think I recall seeing him somewhere before.” 

“This is Nishio Nishiki,” Hide offered, waving a hand in the ghoul's general direction, “He works with Touka and Haise, so you might have seen him at :re.” 

“I see,” Akira murmured, before turning to Nishiki, “And you, Nishio-san? What happened? You said Touka and Haise were with you?” 

“Yeah,” Nishiki nodded curtly, “The three of us just came over to check on the apartment. We opened the door, saw the fucking dead people, and Sasaki freaked. End of story.” 

“Are you sure there was nothing else?” a calm emotionless voice asked. Nishiki snapped his attention over to Arima, who had just spoken. 

“Fuck, don't do that!” Nishiki yelped, clutching at his shirt, “You're like a freaking cat, shit! Make some noise when you walk!” 

Arima merely gave a ghost of a smile before nodding in greeting. Nishiki drew in some shaky breaths, trying to calm down, before giving his fiercest scowl. The fucking Reaper was going to kill him without drawing a quinque. 

Hide took pity on Nishiki and spoke up, drawing everyone's attention to him. 

“You know how Haise is a former victim of a ghoul attack, right?” Hide brought up to Akira, quickly spinning a believable lie, “He gets panic attacks. And what's inside that apartment is a _definite_ trigger.” 

“Probably a good idea to send him home then,” Akira agreed, brow furrowing in worry, “Very well, we'll take your account of what happened, Nishio-san. Nagachika, let Touka and Haise know that we might stop by in a few days to get their statements, though it's likely not necessary.” 

“Roger, that!” Hide saluted neatly. 

“They were already dead when you got here?” Arima asked, double checking with Nishiki, “You didn't see anyone?” 

“Didn't see shit,” Nishiki replied, pointedly keeping his eyes trained on Akira instead of the CCG's Reaper, “Like I said, we opened the door, and there were fucking corpses.” 

“And why were you here in the first place?” Akira questioned, “Do you live here?” 

Nishiki went quiet for a minute before shrugging helplessly. 

“The place is my fiancee's,” Nishiki clarified, “She's been in the hospital for the past couple of weeks, so I figured that I would come by and clean up a bit. Throw away the old food, pay rent, and shit. The landlord can vouch for me.” 

Akira raised an elegant eyebrow, “Why is she in the hospital?” 

Nishiki went silent again, his fists clenching. Seeing as the older male was keeping his mouth shut in an attempt to hold it together, Hide answered for Nishiki. 

“His fiancee is Nishino Kimi,” Hide explained. 

Akira's eyebrows shot up, “From the Kamii press conference attack?” 

Hide nodded in confirmation. 

“Damn it,” Akira hissed, rubbing her temples, “Nagachika, finish collecting Nishio's statement, then call Marude. Stay with Nishio while the rest of us process the scene.” 

“Yes, ma'am!” 

– 

Arima was crouched down next to one the corpses inside the apartment, his lips pressed in a firm line. His eyes flickered upward when he noticed Akira settle in next to him. 

“Find anything?” Akira asked curiously. 

“Only that the group from :re was very lucky,” Arima replied, handing over a thermometer to Akira, “They must have arrived only a few minutes after the killers had left. Judging by the body temperatures, these ghouls weren't dead for very long before Nagachika got the call.” 

Akira frowned thoughtfully, “Do you think Nishio was lying about not seeing anyone?” 

Arima snorted, “Unlikely. Ghouls wouldn't leave witnesses. No, they were just very lucky.” 

“Agreed,” Akira nodded, before standing up, “Nagachika already did some analysis. All these ghouls are Aogiri. Combined with this being the apartment of a Kamii University victim, it's highly likely that Anteiku were the ones who killed these guys.” 

“Do we know how many Anteiku sent?” Arima asked, as he too stood up. 

“We're thinking two,” Akira replied, “There's two distinct kagune patterns. They'll need to be analyzed further to see if they match any known ghouls.” 

“Of course,” Arima murmured before looking around thoughtfully, “The battle was short. More than half of the Aogiri ghouls have their kagune deployed, but judging by the lack of matching marks, they didn't have time to use them. Whoever Anteiku sent were fast and powerful. S-rank at least. Maybe SS.” 

“Speed, huh,” Akira murmured thoughtfully, “Ukaku type? White Rabbit?” 

Arima frowned, “Perhaps. We would have to do more analysis.” 

“Understood,” Akira said, “If we're done here, I will see you back at headquarters.” 

Arima nodded once. Taking that as a dismissal, Akira headed back outside. By now, there was a small knot of curious onlookers standing on the other side of the street. Akira pointedly ignored them, and headed over to where Hide was still talking to Nishiki. 

“You did good, Nishio-sempai,” Hide was telling the other. Akira noted that despite his crass attitude earlier, Nishiki's skin was a little gray, and he was obviously stressed. Akira felt a touch of respect for the prickly waiter. The bespectacled man had seen something horrible today, likely the most horrible thing he had seen in his civilian life, and was keeping it together. 

“Whatever,” Nishiki grumbled, crossing his arms, “I never want to do this shit again.” 

“And hopefully you won't have to,” Akira called out, causing the two men to turn towards her, “Are you finished here, Nagachika?” 

“Yep!” Hide chirped, flashing Akira a bright smile, “You good, Nishio-sempai? Do you need a lift back to :re?” 

“I'll walk, thanks,” Nishiki said drily, stuffing his hands in his pockets, “Hey, Nagachika?” 

“Yeah?” 

“Thanks for coming, and taking care of shit.” 

Hide produced another blinding grin, “No problem. What are friends for?” 

– 

Two days later, Marude called in both the Anteiku and Aogiri task forces to a meeting to go over the evidence collected at Kimi's apartment. Although only squad captains and their vice captains had been invited, the room was still rather full, a mark of how many investigators were dedicated to the two ghoul groups. Hide sat next to Akira, and tried not to fidget. It was strange to be sitting in a meeting with the Anti-Aogiri task force again. 

“Nishino Kimi, huh,” Marude muttered thoughtfully as he flipped through some paperwork, “Graduate student at Kamii University, studying medicine. She was one of the team members working on replicating RC-cells, and was present during Aogiri's attack on the press conference. She is currently in a coma. Can someone tell me why the hell both Aogiri and Anteiku are interested in an unconscious girl?” 

“Easy meal?” Juuzo joked, causing Marude to glare. 

“According to her classmates at Kamii, Nishino was quite intelligent,” Akira put in, pulling out her own set of notes, “In fact, according to many at Kamii, it was Nishino who was the driving force behind the RC-cell project. Based on the apartment's state of disarray, we think both Aogiri and Anteiku were trying to find her research notes.” 

“Were her notes on the scene?” Marude asked. Akira shook her head. 

“All paperwork related to her studies was missing from the scene, and as a college student, you would think that she would have _something_ at her place of living, but there was nothing,” Akira confirmed. 

“So we have no idea where her research is,” Marude groaned, rubbing his temples, “It could be with either Anteiku or Aogiri. Damn it!” 

Hide smirked inwardly. As if Anteiku was going to let Aogiri (or the CCG) get their hands on Kimi's notes. Every scrap of paper they could find was packaged up, no matter how damaged, and sent all of it along with Touka and Haise before the CCG could get there. 

“I would think that Anteiku got the notes,” Juuzo piped up as he tilted his chair back and stared at the ceiling, “It makes sense, right? It was Aogiri's guys that were splattered all over the walls, yeah? Anteiku won, and claimed the prize!” 

“I concur,” Arima nodded solemnly, “We should assume the research is with Anteiku, if it wasn't destroyed outright.” 

“I don't think it was destroyed,” Akira murmured thoughtfully, her brow furrowed, “It would have been more convenient to have destroyed it on the spot, but there was no evidence of that. The research was _taken._ ” 

There was a moment of silence as the investigators digested the information that had already been presented. 

“Do we know who was involved on Anteiku's side?” Marude asked. 

“The samples collected at the crime scene were inconclusive,” Akira replied, obviously frustrated. 

Damn straight they were inconclusive. Hide worked hard to doctor the evidence in time for the meeting. 

“It's not our fault, we just don't have enough samples to compare to,” Hide shrugged, injecting himself into the conversation, “As far as we know, Anteiku only has three confirmed members: White Rabbit, Serpent, and Eyepatch. Of those three, we only have records of White Rabbit's and Serpent's kagune marks. Even then, we don't have a lot of samples. But I really doubt that an organization that's willing to go up against Aogiri has only three people in it.” 

To be fair, while Anteiku did have more than three people in it, there wasn't that much more. If you took :re's staff, all of the human associates, Tsukiyama, Banjou, and his three friends, that still added up to roughly a dozen people. 

Damn it. They were fighting Aogiri with less than fifteen people, some of whom were not combat ready. They were so many different flavors of fucked, that Hide didn't know whether to laugh or cry. 

Shit, they were crazy. And _screwed._

“Regardless of who has the research, the point is that _someone_ who wants those notes _don't_ have them,” Hide pointed out to his colleagues in the CCG, his tone serious, “I propose that we put an armed guard around Nishino Kimi. Sooner or later ghouls are going to come after her, for the knowledge that's locked in her head.” 

Hide paused, letting his statement sink in. Everyone at Anteiku had agreed that protecting Kimi was important, and if they could get the CCG to work for them, that was a benefit. Maybe it was a little underhanded of him to manipulate his human colleagues like this, but Hide had learned how to squash his guilt a long time ago. 

“Nagachika has a point,” Arima spoke up, “It is very likely that Nishio will be attacked.” 

Inwardly, Hide cheered. Excellent, Arima was following along. 

Marude pursed his lips, unsure, “We can't afford to have a whole squad sitting around at a hospital 24/7 waiting for an attack that may or may not come. That is a waste of resources.” 

Shit. That was _not_ according to plan. And unfortunately, Marude had a valid point. 

Hide tried to protested, “But, Marude—” 

“Don't start, Nagachika!” Marude growled, “I don't like it either, but the point is that we don't have the man power to have a dedicated guard for a girl in a coma!” 

“How about a compromise?” Akira offered smoothly, “Hourly checks by CCG agents. And we don't have to send a whole squad, just one or two people. We would only have to check in. If anything happens, we would have time to send out an alarm.” 

“That's acceptable,” Marude sighed, “Mado, I'll have your squad take point on checking in with Nishino.” 

“Yes, sir,” Akira nodded. 

Hide frowned. He didn't believe that such a plan would be enough protection on Kimi, but he held his tongue. It wasn't his decision to make. 

“It's better than nothing, I guess,” Hide admitted out loud, giving Akira a nod of agreement. 

– 

Hide sighed as he leaned back in his chair. It had been almost a week since the break in at Kimi's apartment, and it still felt like the CCG was playing catch up. Nishiki had performed admirably when questioned by the CCG. Any nervousness or abrasiveness he had shown was easily written off as nerves from seeing such a grisly scene. 

So far so good. The CCG had no reason to be suspicious of :re. Hide wasn't a fool, however. If they weren't all careful, all of this could come crashing down on their heads. 

All the members of Anteiku had started carrying their masks around with them, a move that Hide supported. If they were going to be more involved with the ghoul world, then they needed to hide their identities. To help with that, Hide had assisted in wire up a set of voice changers into their masks, further obscuring their identities. 

Really, they were damned lucky that no one recognized anybody's voices yet. The natural muffling caused by the masks helped, but Hide wanted to be cautious, thus the extra bit of tech. 

At the moment, Hide was entering the report for the incident at Kimi's apartment into the CCG's digital archives. Hide always wrote up the reports for the Mado squad. Maybe it was terrible of him, but he liked to be able to control information as much as possible. If he was the one that wrote the report, then he could decide what the CCG did and didn't know. 

“Nagachika,” a calm voice hailed, pulling Hide out of his thoughts. Hide spun quickly in his chair, turning to face the person who called out to him. 

“Hi, Akira,” Hide chirped, waving at the other blond, “What's up?” 

“I'm about to leave for the day,” Akira announced, as she adjusted the grip on her bag, “It's late. You should pack up as well.” 

Hide laughed and waved away her concern, “I still need to finish entering in all this evidence. I'll be here for anoth—Oh _fuck._ ” 

“What is it?” Akira asked worriedly. Hide sighed. 

“It's nothing,” Hide assured her, though there was a bit of concern in his eyes “It's just that I told Touka I'd come pick her up after her shift at :re.” 

“That's right, your apartment is some distance away from :re, isn't it?” Akira recalled. 

“Yeah,” Hide nodded, “Normally, she and Haise head home together, but Touka put her foot down and forced him to take a vacation after what happened at Kimi's apartment. It was actually kinda funny! You should have seen it. Touka was all like 'you're staying home and _relaxing,_ or I'm going to beat you until all you can do is lay down,' and Haise was all 'yes, ma'am'! Man, he's so whipped.” 

“So are you,” Akira teased. 

“And loving it, thank you very much,” Hide laughed, not bothered by Akira's assessment, “Touka-chan keeps both Haise and me in line. We would probably fall to pieces without her.” 

“I see,” Akira murmured, still faintly smiling, “Well, I don't want you to be late. If you'd like, I can finish up your paperwork.” 

“Aw, you don't have to do that!” Hide protested, “It's not a big deal. Let me just call Touka and let her know I'll be late.” 

“How about I stop by :re instead?” Akira offered, “It's on my way home, and I can let Touka know you're running behind. Besides, I wouldn't mind getting a cup of coffee.” 

“Thanks, Akira,” Hide sighed in relief, “Tell Touka I'm sorry. I'll make it up to her.” 

– 

Touka sighed in boredom. She had already cleaned up the cafe and closed down :re for the day. Everyone else had already left. Nishiki had practically bolted for the hospital to see Kimi the instant Touka had flipped the sign to closed. Yomo had gone to visit Uta, and Banjou had already come by to pick up Hinami. Touka was the only one left. At the moment, she was just waiting for Hide to show up. 

Really, she didn't need Hide to walk her home, but it was...nice. Touka wouldn't admit to it, but she had gotten used to having companionship when heading home. Usually it was only Haise that walked with her, but Hide made it a point to join them if he got off of work early enough. But Haise was at home (hopefully relaxing or else she was going to have _words_ with the idiot) and Hide was fucking late. 

Touka sighed, and reigned in her temper. Hide wasn't _that_ late, not yet in any case. 

_Tap tap tap!_ Someone was rapping their knuckles on :re's door. Touka smiled. That had to be Hide. 

When she opened the door, she was surprised to see Akira, not Hide, standing there. 

“Akira! Hello,” Touka smiled politely, opening the door a little wider to let the investigator inside, “I'm sorry, I thought you were Hide.” 

“Nagachika is working late tonight,” Akira informed the younger woman as she stepped over the threshold, “He wanted me to let you know.” 

“Did he say how long he was going to be?” Touka asked as Akira took a seat at the counter. 

“No,” Akira admitted, “Sorry. I didn't think to ask.” 

Touka sighed, running her hand through her hair, “Damn it. Oh well. I guess I'll just wait for him then.” 

“Would you like for me to stay with you?” Akira offered. Touka looked at the older woman in surprise. 

“You don't have to do that,” Touka protested, feeling oddly touched despite herself. 

“It just seems a bit lonely to be here by yourself,” Akira replied, “And I don't have anything else to do.” 

“Ah...thanks,” Touka smiled, only a little hesitantly, “Would you like a cup of coffee?” 

Akira nodded, “Please.” 

Touka slid behind the counter, pulled out a mug, and started heating up some water. She still felt a bit awkward around Akira, but having something to do helped the ghoul keep calm. 

It bothered Touka, sometimes. What would Akira think if she knew that Touka was Rabbit, Mado's killer? There was no doubt that the investigator would try to seek vengeance. But would Akira hesitate, even a little? Did Touka _want_ Akira to hesitate? What would hurt Touka more: Akira's face filled with betrayal or a rage-filled visage that attacked without mercy? 

Things were simpler before. 

“Here you go, your usual,” Touka announced as she placed a mug in front of Akira. Touka had added latte art of a smiling cat to the drink. While she was tempted to draw a rabbit, Touka wasn't _that_ reckless. 

Akira smiled at the latte art before taking a deep sip from the mug. The two women sat in companionable silence as Akira slowly drained her mug. 

“Touka, did you have dinner yet?” Akira asked suddenly. 

“No,” Touka admitted, “Hide and I had planned to pick something up on the way home. Or maybe Haise already prepared something, though I hope not. He's supposed to be resting. He cooks for a living, so making dinner does not count as _relaxing._ ” 

Akira shook her head, hiding a smile behind her drink, “You and Nagachika, I swear. The two of you would wrap Haise up in bubble wrap if he let you.” 

“Of course!” Touka huffed, crossing her arms, “Haise is far too kind.” 

“Perhaps he should toughen up then,” Akira suggested. 

Touka paused, letting the memories fill her. 

_'Toughen up!'_ seventeen-year-old Touka shouted angrily as she pulled up Kaneki's shirt, ' _How do you expect to fight with this soft belly?'_

“Once, I would have agreed with you,” Touka said softly, her eyes distant, “But, over time, I realized that Haise's kindness is something to be treasured. Protected.” 

Touka failed to protect Kaneki a long time ago. 

_'Why did you have to change?'_ eighteen-year-old Touka cried, her fists clenched tight. 

Nowadays, as much as Touka _wants_ to protect Kaneki, she _can't._ The soft bookworm she once knew has grown into a monstrous powerhouse whose name continued to strike fear into the hearts of Tokyo's ghouls. Although Kaneki tried to hide it from her, Touka was well aware that there were places in Tokyo where she could _whisper_ the name “Eyepatch” and ghouls would start running. The idea of Touka protecting Eyepatch (protecting _Centipede_ ) was laughable. A single person cannot protect a kakuja. Anything powerful enough to endanger Kaneki would flatten Touka in minutes. 

That knowledge twists in Touka's stomach, foul like human food. She can protect Hide, but she can never protect Kaneki again, not like how she used to. 

“Does Haise know how to make curry?” Akira asked, dragging Touka back into the present. 

“Um...I don't know? Maybe?” Touka replied, trying to remember all the dishes Haise made for Hide, “He's never made curry for me in any case.” 

Akira looked at Touka in surprise, “Is that so?” 

“I've never had curry before,” Touka admitted. 

“That is a pity,” Akira frowned, “We should rectify this. Come on. Let me treat you to dinner.” 

“T-That's not necessary!” Touka protested, waving her hands as she laughed softly, “Really!” 

“Nonsense,” Akira snorted, “You and Haise have treated my squad to free food many times. I'm merely paying you back.” 

“But what about Hide?” Touka tried again, trying not to sound desperate. 

“I'll send him a text,” Akira replied easily, “Judging by the stacks of paper next to him he will be at the office for quite a long time. No need for you to go hungry while waiting. And you can pick up food at the restaurant for Hide and Haise.” 

Touka tried to protest again, panic rising in her chest, but Akira cut the younger woman off with a kind smile. 

“Besides Touka,” Akira said smoothly, “I would like to share my favorite food with a friend.” 

Touka blinked, “Friend?” 

Akira nodded, “Yes. I might have met you and Haise through Nagachika, but I would like to think by now you two are my friends.” 

Touka stared, guilt churning in her gut. For a split second, all she could see was a man's hand in bloodied water with a wedding ring gleaming in the gloom. Then Touka blinked, and focused on Akira. 

Akira...Akira looked very little like her late father. Something loosened in Touka's chest. 

“Yes,” Touka breathed after a moment, a genuine smile settling on her features, “We are friends, Akira.” 

– 

Ayato was late. A meeting for all of Aogiri's executives had been called, and Ayato was some distance away from the meeting spot. He didn't mean to be so far away, it just sort of happened. It wasn't as if he was trying to track down his stupid sister, and see how she was doing. No way. 

Ayato didn't mean to. Really, he was perfectly content to go about his business and not deal with extra fucking shit. 

But when he spotted his sister walking down the street with a fucking Dove (and it has to be a Dove with that pristine outfit and heavy briefcase) Ayato had a damn heart attack. He was lucky; Touka didn't notice him, giving him the chance to duck behind a corner and climb up onto the rooftop. 

His life was fucking cursed; his idiot sister really was with a damn _Dove._

Really, he should leave Touka with the investigator. He shouldn't give a damn about his stupid sister and her apparent disregard for her life. He has other business to attend to, far more important things for Aogiri Tree. 

With a huff, Ayato shoved his mask over his face and turned around, determined to ignore Touka. But then... 

_'Take care of your sister,'_ the memory of his father whispered. 

Ayato cursed. Stupid father. Stupid sister. He hated them all. 

“Fucking damn it,” Ayato snarled, even as he turned back around, and started trailing after Touka and the Dove. Apparently stupidity ran in the family. 

– 

The restaurant Akira took Touka to was actually quite nice. It was clean, neat, and the lighting gave the place a nice cozy air. Touka fidgeted for a moment, uncertain. While she did manage her own cafe, she had never been to another restaurant as a guest. It was...different. 

The weather was nice, and rather than being packed into the crowded dinning room, the two women asked to be seated at a table outside. Touka took the seat that put her back to the street. It was not the most advantageous position, but it was a subtle way of presenting herself as an ordinary civilian. A normal human woman wouldn't be watching exits. 

Akira ordered for both of them, to Touka's relief. The ghoul had no idea what to order from the menu, and besides, Akira wanted Touka to try curry. 

“You'll like it,” Akira promised, as the waiter left with their orders. 

“I'm sure I will,” Touka lied, smoothing her napkin out on her lap. 

The two women made small talk for a few minutes while waiting for their meal. Much to Touka's dismay, in no time at all, the meal was ready to come out. 

“That smells amazing,” Akira sighed happily as the plates were placed before them. 

Touka wanted to disagree. 

The curry smelled terrible. It smelled like rot and garbage burning in gasoline to Touka, and when the full plate was placed in front of her, her stomach threatened to rebel. She didn't let her disgust show on her face, and instead smiled politely at Akira. 

“It looks delicious,” Touka declared. Her statement was not exactly a lie. Graphically, the plate was quite nice, and rather pretty looking. The plate was split in half evenly, one half filled with soft white rice and the other half contained chunks of meat swimming in a thick brown sauce. Touka liked meat, just not beef, pork, nor chicken—really she only liked one kind of meat, but if she pretended, the food on her plate was _almost_ relatable. 

Akira in the mean time, tucked into her food eagerly, oblivious to Touka's hesitation. It was obvious that the meal was one of Akira's favorites. She hummed happily with each bite, her eyes lit up with pleasure. Idly, Touka made a mental note to find out if Haise really could make curry; it would be a good addition to :re's menu. As Touka watched Akira eat, the ghoul felt a stab of jealousy, old and familiar. What did human food really taste like? 

Aware that she had to start eating soon before it started to look suspicious, Touka carefully speared small piece of meat onto her fork, and brought it to her mouth. Swallow it quickly, and then pretend to chew; it was an action that she had performed countless times to fool humans. This time wasn't any different. 

Touka gulped down the first bite. 

It _burned._ It was awful and vile, and it burned all the way down, like fire. Touka sputtered, unable to help herself, and coughed violently, her face red. Ugh! It was sticking to the back of her throat! Disgusting! Why was it burning so much? Curry was like a horrific blend of napalm and decay. Blindly, she reached for her glass, and drained the entire cup of water in one go. The burn didn't quite go away, and the curry lingered in her throat in a way normal food never had. 

As soon as she came up for air, Touka went pale. She was mortified. She revealed herself—in front of a Dove, no less. She was going to die, just because her act was less than perfect. 

With her heart thundering in her ears, Touka looked at Akira hesitantly. To the ghoul's shock, the investigator was smiling ruefully. There was no suspicion nor betrayal on Akira's face. 

“Sorry,” Akira apologized sincerely, “I didn't realize you were so sensitive to spicy food.” 

“Spicy?” Touka croaked, her racing heart starting to slow down when she realized that Akira wasn't whipping out a quinque. 

Akira nodded, “I ordered spicy curry. I like the burn. I probably should have ordered the mild for you.” 

Akira paused, looking a bit wistful. 

“You know, you remind me of my old partner,” Akira admitted, looking a little sad, “Amon also didn't like spicy food. The first time he ate spicy curry in front of me, he reacted even more violently than you did. It's a little...nostalgic.” 

Touka flushed, and looked to one side feeling a strange combination of embarrassed and relieved, “Then, he must have been the smart one. Food shouldn't burn like _that._ ” 

Akira smiled, and pushed over a basket of flat bread towards Touka, “Here. Have some naan. It will help get rid of the burn.” 

Touka took a piece of bread and carefully bit off a corner. It still tasted like trash, but it didn't light her throat on fire. Somehow the bread caught the sticky heat of the curry still in her throat, neutralizing it, and pushing it down. 

“That's better,” Touka sighed, before tearing off another chunk of bread and swallowing it down, careful not to let the food linger in her mouth for too long. 

Touka is no stranger to eating large amounts of human food. She did it almost daily during high school to please Yoriko. Even nowadays, she's careful to be observed eating every once and awhile to keep up her ruse as an ordinary human. But it's been years since Touka has forced herself to eat so much. 

Touka polished off the entire basket of naan by herself. 

She shouldn't have, but Akira was paying. Akira was a friend, odd as that thought was, and Touka had never been one to turn away a gift from a friend. Touka always ate everything Yoriko offered; Touka would do the same now. 

Beyond that feeling of friendship, Akira was a _Dove._ If Touka didn't eat in front of Akira now, Touka might as well stab herself, and save Akira the trouble of pulling out a quinque. Touka can't stomach the curry, though she tried a few more times. The burn was too much, and Touka was unable to stop her face from twisting when she put the meat dish in her mouth. Her saving grace was the pale flat bread (naan, was it?) that Akira kept handing over. Touka can eat bread. Bread was easy. She gulped it down without tasting a crumb. 

Her stomach felt uncomfortably full and bloated, as if she swallowed boulders, but Touka was confident in her acting skills. It didn't matter that Touka deeply desired to vomit in an abandoned alley the instant she was alone. The ghoul can still smile easily at Akira, and that was enough. 

Crisis adverted. 

– 

Ayato was glad that the two women decided to sit outside. It made tracking them much easier. He settled down on the opposite rooftop and hid in the shadows. 

While Ayato watched the Dove, most of his focus was on Touka. She looked...alright. It was a little hard to tell, since his sister was sitting with her back to the street, but when she turned her head, Ayato could catch glimpses of her face. She had dyed her hair, something that oddly bothered him. 

They had both inherited their father's coloring. With her hair dyed, she looked a little less like Ayato's sister. 

Not that Ayato _really_ cared. Touka could do whatever she wanted. She wasn't his responsibility anymore. The two of them were worse than strangers now. With Anteiku and Aogiri at odds, Ayato and Touka were _enemies._ After all, didn't Touka attack him first? 

(Ayato knew her attack was far lighter than it could have been. It was obvious. Her RC-cells ripped through Naki's White Suits like paper. Ayato only bore a handful of scratches from her attack.) 

There was a soft _thump_ as another person landed on the rooftop next to Ayato. For a second, Ayato tensed up, worried of an attack, but then forced himself to calm down. 

It was an ally, though not a very welcomed one. 

“Heeeey, Ayato-kun~!” a half-mad voice singsonged next to Ayato, “You were late to the meeting!” 

“Takizawa,” Ayato growled, glaring at the white-haired man, “What are you doing here?” 

The Owl experiment giggled before taking a seat next to the younger man, “You didn't show up on time. People were worried, ya know~!” 

Ayato sneered. Worried, huh? That was a lie. No doubt Tatara sent Takizawa to go find Ayato to make sure the teenager wasn't doing anything he wasn't supposed to do. 

And Takizawa, the little boot-licker, was always happy to help out, even if his head wasn't screwed on properly. 

“I'm doing reconnaissance on Anteiku,” Ayato grumbled, “I'll be back at base soon enough.” 

“Someone is playing stalker, huh?” Takizawa smirked as he chewed on his fingers, “Creepy kid.” 

“Shut up, Takizawa. I'm just observing them, alright?” Ayato hissed, leveling a glare at the crazed One-Eyed Ghoul. The former Dove laughed wildly. 

“Is that your sister down there?” Takizawa purred, his eyes filled with sick glee as he peered over the ledge, “Are you spying on her? Wow, Ayato-kun, that's kind of messed up~!” 

“I said, ' _shut up,_ '” Ayato growled, his eyes flashing. Takizawa ignored the younger ghoul. 

“Oh, that's hilarious, she's eating dinner like she's a real girl,” Takizawa sneered, contempt flowing from him, “Ghouls pretending to be human—that's so fucking stupid. Makes me want to eat sweets.” 

“ _Shut up_ , Touka is just being careful,” Ayato snarled, trying to keep a hold of his patience, “She's with a Dove.” 

“An investigator?” Takizawa blinked, sounding almost sane as he peered closer, “Who—” 

The halfbreed cut himself off when he got a better look of Touka's companion. His expression went oddly blank, his pale face stilling like a marble statue. 

“Someone you know?” Ayato drawled, arching a brow. 

Takizawa shook himself. Then his darkened lips stretched into a rictus grin. 

“I'll leave you alone to your creepy stalking, Ayato-kun,” Takizawa giggled, though there was something—odd—about his tone, “I'll even be nice and give Tatara an excuse for you! But be careful to watch and don't touch~! You don't want a perfect asexual quinque freak to cut off your pretty head.” 

“Shut up, you one-eyed bastard,” Ayato snapped, feeling like a broken record. Takizawa simply laughed and ran off, leaving Ayato alone on the rooftop. 

Ayato frowned. Takizawa almost looked like he was fleeing in _fear._

– 

Akira doesn't say anything but she's worried. Something is _off_ but she can't put her finger on it. A small paranoid part of her wonders if Touka's reaction to the curry was _too_ extreme, but Akira easily brushes aside that notion. Amon certainly had a worse reaction to curry, and besides, Touka is eating slice after slice of naan. Not to mention, if Touka really was a ghoul, Akira would already be dead. At this close range, it would take Akira much longer to draw a quinque to defend herself than it would for Touka to unleash a kagune and skewer the investigator. 

But still, Akira's instincts were murmuring at her, and Akira knew better than to ignore her instincts. Something was terribly wrong. The hair on the back of Akira's neck was prickling, as if she was being watched. 

Lifting her head, the blond woman scanned the street quickly. When her eyes flicked up to the rooftop behind Touka's head, that's when Akira saw it, half-hidden by the shadows. 

_Danger._

Akira was a seasoned ghoul investigator, and casually lets her gaze wander away from the skyline, even as her heart began pounding double-time. Akira cannot let anything show in her expression. To do otherwise was equivalent to suicide. Eventually, Akira's eyes land back on Touka's curious face, and Akira's gut wrenches. 

Touka was in danger. Akira clenched her fists in determination. An investigator's duty was to protect the innocent. Akira will protect Touka, no matter what. 

“Touka,” Akira began quietly, her face as smooth as a still lake despite the turmoil in her heart, “I need you to stay calm, but there's a ghoul on the rooftop behind you.” 

– 

Touka sucked in a stuttered breath. A ghoul? Who? She doubted it was someone from Anteiku, but Touka didn't dare to turn around to see who exactly it was. 

Was it Aogiri? If it was Aogiri, who were they here for, Akira or Touka? 

“Stay here,” Akira murmured, her face calm and serious, “Call Nagachika. I'll try to lure it away.” 

“You can't go after it alone!” Touka hissed, her eyes going wide, “You'll get yourself killed.” 

“Which is why you're going to call for backup,” Akira replied calmly as she tossed a few 2000 yen notes on the table, and snatched up her briefcase. Before Touka could stop the blond, Akira had already slipped out away and was running across the street. 

“Fuck,” Touka cursed. Even if she called Hide, he would never make it in time to assist Akira. 

Touka made a split second decision. Grabbing her purse, Touka walked hurriedly inside of the restaurant, and then towards the back. As she went, quickly and casually, she lifted a coat that was draped over a chair. She made the move look so natural, no one noticed until its owner came back from the bathroom minutes later. 

Touka shoved her way out of the back door of the restaurant, and into a back alley. After a quick check to make sure no one was around, she reached into her purse. Inside were her mask and red wig. With Aogiri fucking around, Touka had taken to bringing her mask with her wherever she went. Yes, it might have been a bit risky to bring them with Akira right there, but at the moment, Touka was glad to have them. 

“I'm so fucking stupid,” Touka groaned as she shoved on her mask. 

– 

Although she had only looked for a split second, Akira knew exactly which ghoul was stalking her and Touka. It was Rabbit—a Rabbit, in any case. That fact alone made Akira run a little faster across the street. 

Rabbit! That damn ghoul, _both_ of them, had haunted Akira for years. Rabbit had eluded capture despite the CCG's best efforts, and now both of them were affiliated with powerful ghoul organizations. 

Why was Rabbit here? To taunt Akira? 

She wasn't sure. She could however tell that it was _Black_ Rabbit on the rooftop, the one affiliated with Aogiri. Black Rabbit was a confirmed SS-rate, and while Akira had gotten stronger over the years, she really should not be taking on an SS-rate alone. 

She hoped Touka was able to get a hold of Nagachika in time. The calm rational side of Akira's mind crunched the numbers. She would never get back up in time. 

Akira swung herself up onto a nearby fire escape and ran up to the rooftop, her blood pounding in her ears. She deployed her quinque as she ran, the familiar weight of Fueguchi One clenched tight in her fingers. 

Seconds after she got to the top, she was met with a hail of crystals. 

With a wide swing, Akira blocked the crystals with her quinque, avoiding injury. Throwing herself to the left, Akira whipped her quinque forward, aiming for that dark clad figure. Black Rabbit leaped over the rattling bones, and kicked the weapon away from him. 

“Che,” Rabbit growled, his voice echoing slightly in his mask, “I know that quinque. Spine user. Mado.” 

“Yes,” Akira breathed, rearing back Fueguchi One to strike again, “Mado.” 

Bones shot forward.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case anyone was wondering why Ayato knew who Akira was, it's mostly through reputation. Also, he looked up as much of original Rabbit case as he could to better cement his role as Rabbit and to shift Aogiri's focus off of his sister and onto himself.  
> Huh, first chapter where Haise/Kaneki doesn't show up in person. Guess he's taking Touka's advice to heart and relaxing. Except not really, since he spent all of this chapter at home drinking coffee, and trying not to break all of his fingers worrying over his roommates being late.  
> Haha, in this chapter Akira and Touka are being total gal-pals, and then Ayato barges in like the annoying little brother he is. Then there's Takizawa who runs like a coward when he sees the girl he likes. Meanwhile, the boys, a.k.a. Hide and Haise, are oblivious to everything. It's like every stereotypical teenager sitcom, only with bloodshed. :D


	11. Rabbit

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A friend. Touka and Akira were...friends.

“Aaaaand finished!” Hide cheered as he typed in the last couple of key strokes to his report. Hide stretched in his chair with a mighty yawn. Finally. Everything in the report was entered in the way he wanted, and it only took him an extra 3...4 hours? He wasn't sure. 

Damn. Touka and Haise were probably wondering where he was. Hide wondered if Touka had gotten back from dinner with Akira. Man, that was a weird idea, Touka and Akira having a girl's night out. Hide hoped Touka wouldn't be too sick from all the food she probably choked down. Maybe he should bleed in her coffee to make her feel better. 

Hide snickered quietly to himself. If someone told him five years ago that he would willingly bleed into a ghoul's coffee cup to make them feel better, he would have told them that they were nuts. Now it was the most natural thing in the world. 

Sighing to himself, Hide started packing up his papers and powering down the computer. He smiled ruefully to himself as he picked up his quinque. 

His life had gotten weird. And dangerous. Did he regret it? Never. 

As soon as he was outside the CCG's building, Hide pulled out his phone and dialed Haise. 

_“Hide, thank goodness!”_ came Haise's relived voice from the small device, _“Are you and Touka heading home now?”_

“Shouldn't Touka already be there?” Hide asked, his brow furrowing, “I mean, I know she went out with Akira, but they should be done by now, right?” 

_“No, I haven't heard anything from her,”_ Haise replied, his voice edged in worry, _“I thought she met up with you. Do you...Do you think anything happened?”_

“Calm down, okay?” Hide soothed, trying not to worry himself, “I'm sure they just got caught up talking about girl things, and forgot the time. Touka would call if anything bad happened, right?” 

_“Unless she didn't have the time to,”_ Kaneki growled out darkly, his voice dropping in register, _“I'm going to go looking for her.”_

“No, stay there just in case she comes home,” Hide said quickly, “Akira's text said she was going to treat Touka to curry, right? I know which restaurant is Akira's favorite. They probably went there.” 

_“Alright, Hide,”_ Kaneki sighed, though there was still something unsure in his tone, _“Call me if you find anything. If I don't hear from you or Touka in an hour...”_

“Yeah, yeah, you'll go terrorize all of Tokyo, got it,” Hide grumbled, rolling his eyes, “Everything will be fine, I promise.” 

– 

As she stared down Black Rabbit, Akira knew that this would be the most important fight in her entire career. 

Fueguchi One struck out, fast and sure, straight towards Black Rabbit. The ghoul took no time to leap upwards, his kagune unfurling, allowing him to glide through the air like a bird. He sailed over Akira's attack like it was nothing. 

Akira smirked. Fueguchi One was a notoriously difficult weapon to wield, but Akira had mastered it. Moving the quinque was as easy as moving a finger. 

Mid-strike, Akira flicked her quinque, changing the direction of the whip upwards. 

Black Rabbit twisted in the air, his smoky wings curling around him as a shield. The spine-like quinque slid against his kagune, bouncing off harmlessly. He rolled as he landed, springing to his feet, and opening his kagune in one smooth motion. His kagune crystallized in an instant, and he released a rain of fiery glass at Akira. 

Eyes widening, Akira whipped back her quinque to act as a shield, but the force of the attack was more than she had expected. While she was spared from being skewered, Akira was pushed back, causing her to stumble. 

Black Rabbit followed up with a slash to the investigator's weapon hand. Akira jerked away, just in time to keep her fingers, but she was forced to drop her quinque in a cry of pain. A long gash running from her knuckles to past her wrist appeared on the back of Akira's hand, filling the air with the scent of copper. 

_'Keep up! Don't fall behind or you die!'_

Akira dove for her quinque with her good hand, but Black Rabbit was faster. He kicked the weapon out of her reach, and stood between her and it. 

The blond narrowed her eyes. She knew that behind his mask, Black Rabbit was smirking. He clearly had the advantage. He stepped forward with the intent to kill— 

—Only to be halted by a pale blur smashing into his right side, shoving him away from the blond investigator. 

Akira's eyes went wide as she saw who exactly her savior was. It couldn't be...it no sense! Black Rabbit snarled, his eyes flashing as he turned to face his latest opponent. 

It was a slim figure dressed in an oversized beige trench coat, red wig, and a pristine white Rabbit mask. 

Black Rabbit froze, his body going rigid as if he had been shocked by lightning. Akira panted out harsh breaths, her eyes flicking between the two Rabbits as her heart beat wildly. 

What the hell was going on? 

White Rabbit straightened, tilting the chin of that pale mask up imperiously. If the pale-clad ghoul was trying to look intimidating, it missed the mark. White Rabbit was drowning in that too large coat, like a child playing dress up. 

“Leave, Aogiri,” White Rabbit hissed. The words came out distorted, indicating a voice changer was built into the mask. 

“What the fuck do you think you're doing, idiot?” Black Rabbit growled out between clenched teeth. 

Red hair shifted as White Rabbit's head tilted to one side. 

“What do you think, stupid little brother?” White Rabbit spat back at Black, throwing defiance in his face, “I'm stopping you.” 

– 

Touka was screwed. She knew it. Her gut was still rolling with the weight of the food (of the _poison_ ) she had ingested, slowing her movements. Years ago, Ayato had torn her to pieces with ease. Now, he was stronger, and Touka— 

Touka could never go full out on her baby brother. 

The memory of her father smiled at her, as he placed upon her the only duty he had ever asked of her. 

_'Take care of your brother.'_

Behind her mask, Touka cast a quick glance over at Akira. The Dove only sported a minor injury, but was unarmed. Touka scowled. That wasn't good. 

It looked like Touka would be on her own. 

Her kagune unfurled behind her, darkness spliced with red light, swirling like mist. Flapping it once, Touka sent a barrage of hardened RC-cells straight at her little brother. Ayato drew up his arms to block, her attack leaving tears in his clothes and shallow cuts underneath. 

Too light. Her attack was too light. Whether it was the food in her stomach or the old scars in her heart to blame, Touka didn't know. 

Ayato started to laugh, his tone mocking, as he went on the offensive. He drew in close, engaging in hand to hand combat with this sister. Touka grit her teeth, attempting to keep up, but was only able to stay defensive. 

Fuck. Human food really did slow her down. 

“You want to stop me?” Ayato sneered, as he threw out a punch that Touka barely blocked, “Holy shit, you really have gone crazy. Do you know who that Dove is? She's fucking Mado!” 

“What do you think I am, _stupid_?!” Touka snarled, the voice changer in her mask throwing static to reflect the anger in her voice, “I know who the fuck she is!” 

“Then why the _fuck_ are you defending her?!” Ayato howled, as he grabbed his sister by the throat. Touka choked briefly before Ayato threw her across the rooftop. Touka skid across the surface, just barely avoiding getting tossed off. 

“You can't be that damned blind,” Ayato panted, carefully keeping his distance and his guard up, “That shitty one-eyed bastard might have made you go all soft, but you're not fucking dumb. She wants revenge against us. For her father.” 

“ _'Us?_ '” Touka echoed, incredulous, as a hysterical laugh burst from her throat, “Shit. You little idiot. Is that why you're after her? Because you think she's after you? Well sorry to break it to you, little brother, but the world doesn't revolve around you.” 

Ayato jerked slightly, slightly thrown off balance by Touka's words. She was wrong. That wasn't why he was after Mado. The reason why he was going to kill that fucking Dove was because Mado was a danger to— 

_'Don't finish that thought.'_

“Fuck you,” Ayato growled as opened his kagune, and rained death on Touka. Touka rolled out of the way, springing to her feet. 

“Lets clear this up, right now,” Touka hissed as she brought her hands up in a guard position, “You're going to stop bothering Investigator Mado. She has nothing to do with _you._ ” 

Ayato protested, “Her father—!” 

“I killed her father,” Touka said quietly, but the words carried nonetheless, “Whatever grudge she has is between her and me. You _will_ keep your nose out of it.” 

Touka thought she heard Akira take in a startled breath, but she wasn't sure. She didn't have the time to contemplate it before Ayato was charging at her again. 

“I don't get it!” Ayato screamed angrily, as he snapped out a kick, “Why? Why the fuck are you defending her?! Aren't you enemies?” 

Touka stayed silent. Yes, Rabbit and First-Class Investigator Mado were enemies. But Touka and Akira were not. Ayato wouldn't understand that. Touka's mind wandered back to a few hours earlier, when she and Akira were sipping coffee at :re peacefully without the whole fucked-up world interfering. 

_'I would like to share my favorite food with a friend,'_ Akira had said then, a faint, but genuine, smile on her lips. 

A friend. Touka and Akira were...friends. 

“You're such a shitty idiot!” Ayato spat, fury coloring his voice, “What the fuck happened to you? You killed her father—you should want to kill her too! What's so different now compared to then? Why shouldn't I wring that blond bitch's neck?” 

Touka snapped. How—how _dare_ he! 

“You weren't there!” Touka shrieked at her brother, rage filling her, “Don't you dare pretend that you know the situation—you weren't _there_!” 

Touka let loose a flurry of kicks, striking high and low, trying to keep Ayato guessing. Ayato blocked most of them, his superior speed allowing him to keep up with his sister. Anything he didn't block, he shrugged off easily. 

Too light. Her attacks were still too fucking _light_! 

“It still doesn't make fucking sense why you're defending a damned Dove!” Ayato snapped as he threw out a punch. Touka turned her body sideways, dodging the attack, and skipped back a few steps. 

“Shut up!” Touka snarled, her eyes glowing with fury, “Brats that don't know the situation should keep their noses out of my fucking business!” 

“You lost your damn mind!” Ayato shouted as he fired crystals at his sister. Touka brought up her own kagune to shield herself, but was a touch too slow. The projectiles tore into her side, causing blood to bloom on her stolen coat, like a chrysanthemum. 

“Gah!” Touka gasped, pressing her hands against her side. The wound was deep, and one of Ayato's kagune shards was still stubbornly stuck in her flesh. Touka didn't have the chance to tear it out. 

Ayato was harsh, unrelenting. He dashed towards her, his leg snapping out to kick at her already injured side. Touka cried out, curling in on herself. 

“You're finished,” Ayato stated grimly, his kagune shaping itself into a blade around his arm. He stepped closer to Touka, intent on continuing with his assault, when suddenly he was flung backwards. A spine-like whip had nailed him in the gut sending the younger ghoul flying. 

“Forget about me?” Akira asked, her voice like the first frost of winter, as she drew back her quinque for another blow. Touka smiled faintly. Akira had taken the opportunity to reclaim her quinque. 

Good. 

“Stay out of this, Dove!” Ayato snapped. Akira smiled coldly. 

“I think not,” Akira retorted, slashing with Fueguchi One. Ayato hissed, deflecting the attack with his kagune. Touka took advantage of the distraction Akira provided to charge at Ayato, landing a powerful palm strike to his rib cage. Ayato snarled, his kagune flaring, as he was forced back further. 

Touka panted quietly, the shaking of her arms hidden by the folds of her coat. She was so fucking tired. 

“Run away, stupid little brother,” Touka growled, thankful that the voice changer reflected none of the pain she felt in her voice, “You can't beat both of us.” 

Ayato sneered, his wings bristling, “Wanna bet?” 

Touka laughed in Ayato's face, wheezing slightly, “Idiot. We just need to stall until the backup we called arrives. Do you think you can hold out against us plus Eyepatch? Or perhaps you would like to play with the CCG's Reaper instead?” 

“...You're bluffing,” Ayato accused, “Neither one of you had the time to call for anybody!” 

“Do you want to bet your life on it?” Touka taunted, standing straight, even though all she wanted to do was curl up in a miserable ball. 

Bluff. Bluff until he falls for it. Be confident. Ayato didn't know how badly Touka had been poisoned. He didn't know how deeply the wound went. If Touka could just convince him that she still had enough strength to fight... 

– 

Ayato glanced between the two women, considering his options. Did he really want to drag this out? He could at least kill the Dove, but Touka wouldn't fucking stand down! Ayato would have to kill his sister to kill the Dove and— 

The image of Touka's lifeless body staring up at him in accusation filled his mind. Nausea curled in his stomach. He could hurt her, break her, make her cry, but kill her? 

A flash of memory from a few years ago danced before him, of white hair and grinning gums in leather. Ayato could remember hearing his bones snapping, one by one, and pain blooming inside of him. But before that, before the physical pain, a calm cruel voice lectured, striking Ayato's heart with painful secrets. 

_'You protected her, didn't you? So that Touka-chan wouldn't be killed—'_

Protected her, huh? Fucking delusional halfbreed. 

In the present, Ayato looked back at his sister, his mind whirling. Could he really kill her? Fuck, that wasn't what he wanted to do. He had to back away. 

Ayato snarled in frustration and turned, leaping towards the next rooftop and out of sight. 

– 

As soon as Black Rabbit was gone, his white counterpart fell to the ground, kagune sputtering out like a flickering candle flame. White Rabbit panted heavily, not moving even as Akira strode closer to the ghoul, Fueguchi One at the ready. White Rabbit was clutching the spill of red over beige fabric, blood slipping past pale fingers. It was obvious the ghoul was tired, RC-cells spent. It would be no effort at all for Akira to kill the ghoul and avenge her father. 

And yet—Akira hesitated. 

White Rabbit had saved her life. 

“...Is there someone you can call for help?” Akira asked, surprising herself. Rabbit's head snapped up, obviously staring at Akira in shock despite the mask on the ghoul's face. 

“W-what?” Rabbit croaked, voice rough even with the voice changer warping it. 

“You need help,” Akira said numbly, only vaguely aware of her hands gesturing to Rabbit's wound, “Is there someone that can come to get you? Eyepatch perhaps?” 

“Are—aren't you going to kill me?” the ghoul asked in a small voice. Something seized in Akira's chest. Despite the static of the voice changer, Rabbit sounded small, fragile— 

Human. 

“That would be a poor way to thank the person who just saved my life,” Akira retorted, her voice calm and cool belying the chaos in her mind. Rabbit looked down, shoulders slumping in exhaustion. 

“I can call someone,” Rabbit murmured, “But you have to leave first.” 

“Understood,” Akira nodded stiffly, all too aware of what Rabbit wasn't saying. Rabbit didn't want Akira there because Akira would be _obligated_ to listen in to the phone call and gather clues. 

And there was no guarantee that whoever White Rabbit called would be so kind to Akira. 

“This is a one time thing,” Akira warned, her voice frosty and firm, “The next time we meet, it will be as enemies.” 

Rabbit's head tilted in acknowledgment, “Of course, Investigator Mado.” 

Akira nodded once, and slipped away without another word. 

The investigator did glance back once, and was startled by how small Rabbit looked huddled up into tight ball, blood still dripping from unhealed wounds. Akira had to look away. 

– 

Kaneki was pacing around the apartment, his hands running through his dual-colored hair in frustration. Touka was still missing, and Hide had yet to call him back. 

Thirty minutes. Hide still had thirty minutes to call back before Kaneki would turn Tokyo upside down looking for his roommates. 

Kaneki cursed. The whole situation sounded _bad._ He wound up tighter than a watch spring, his heart hammering. He wanted to be out there, looking for Touka. But Hide had ordered him to stay at the apartment in case Touka came back. But still, waiting was _excruciating._

His phone rang. He scrambled for it, almost dropping it twice. Finally, he answered it, pressing it to his ear without checking who was calling. 

“Hello?” 

A small whisper answered him, _“Ka-Kaneki?”_

Kaneki's heart constricted. He hadn't heard Touka sound so small in years. 

“Where are you?” he asked as he gathered his keys, and started pulling on a jacket, “I'll come get you.” 

Touka was quiet for a moment, her breath panting harshly into the phone. Finally, she gasped out a location, the words breaking every now and then with small pained sounds. 

_“Wear your mask,”_ Touka murmured into the phone, her voice still faint, _“Be careful.”_

Kaneki grit his teeth, his kakugan flaring to life. She sounded so hurt. If Touka was asking him to come as Eyepatch instead of Haise, then he hoped there was something around to _break._

– 

“Eugh!” Touka gagged, her wounded body trying to purge the last of the human food in her belly. She coughed, spitting out chunks of bread and bile, her muscles seizing. 

Touka had managed to climb down from the rooftop, retrieve her purse from where she had hidden it, and start vomiting in an alley. Groaning, she closed her eyes and tried to will the nausea away. It was a futile endeavor. Luckily no one was around to see how pathetic she was. 

“Out,” Touka muttered, clutching her stomach and feeling the remains of her meal with Akira rolling in her gut, “Out, out, out! Ughh...” 

She coughed again, but nothing else came out. Touka gasped and slumped against the wall, tired. With shaking fingers, she slid her mask back down over her nose and lips, listening to the soft crackle of the voice changer as she drew in desperate gasps. She pressed her hands more firmly against the wound in her side. The sharp point of the kagune crystal still embedded there scratched at her palm. Carefully, she tugged at it, crying out when it finally pulled free. 

Touka examined it for a second, noting its dark violet color tipped with blood red. It looked similar to the ones she produced. Snarling, she flung it away angrily, and covered her wound with her hands again. 

She wasn't healing. She would need a real meal to recover. 

Touka hoped that Akira was alright. The blond didn't _seem_ to be very hurt, but Touka was a ghoul. A small wound for Touka could be crippling for a human. Touka resolved to ask Hide about it as soon as she got home. 

Touka blinked slowly. Hide. She was supposed to call him. Akira didn't need it anymore, but she was still expecting Hide to provide backup. Sighing, Touka reached into her purse again, the blood on her hands leaving red streaks. Her wet fingertips kept sliding across the phone, causing her to drop the device. Her phone slid back into her purse, elusive. 

Touka cursed herself. Why was she so clumsy? It was like she was swimming in wet clay, her whole body slow and lethargic. Even her mind was fuzzy, her vision going gray at the edges. 

_'Blood loss,'_ a quiet part of herself rationalized, _'Poison in your belly.'_

Vaguely she remembered one Nishiki's infrequent medical lectures. If you had a foreign embedded into you, it was better to leave it in until you could receive proper care. Pulling an object out would cause more tearing and more bleeding. More blood loss. 

There was...there was red on the ground. The faint light made the crimson puddle look shiny and almost enticing, but it smelled disgusting. Blood was still pouring from her, the flesh refusing to knit together. Her RC-cells were all spent, used up in the battle. 

Touka choked. Meat, she needed meat. 

She staggered to her feet, her head spinning. She needed to go...somewhere. Anywhere. Not here. There was nothing edible here. Touka hadn't hunted in ages, preferring to scavenge now that she lived with a human and a half. But the instincts were still there, as well as muscle memory. Food was— 

There! Right there! Warmth and comfort ( _savory meat and blood_ ) was pulling her tired form into a warm embrace. 

She blinked blurry eyes up to stare at a leather-clad face with grinning gums and a single blazing kakugan. 

“Kaneki,” she sighed in relief, her whole body relaxing. She let him sweep her body up into his arms, and leaned her head against the the crook of his shoulder. She allowed herself a deep inhale, her body quaking as she drew in his scent. 

_Delicious._

“Shh, I'm here,” Kaneki soothed, his voice low as he eased up her mask, just enough to expose her mouth. She licked her lips, panting. 

“Hide,” Touka mumbled, trying to hold onto the last of her coherent thoughts, “I need to call...need to call him. A-Akira is ex...expecting backup.” 

“I'll call him, don't worry about it,” Kaneki replied, as he carefully adjusted her so that her mouth was resting against his collarbone. Instinctively, she nosed aside the lapels of his open jacket and the fabric of his shirt so that her lips grazed against skin. Her nose took in a familiar wonderful scent. 

Ah...so, so good, and she hadn't even bitten down yet. 

“Please,” Touka implored, closing her eyes. 

“Of course,” he replied softly, generous as always. 

Her teeth clamped down with a soft sigh. 

– 

Akira was glad that she carried around handkerchiefs with her. It was a little tricky to wrap her wound using only her left hand, but she managed to knot some cloths around the bloody mess. 

Not bad. It would hold until she was able to get to the hospital for some stitches. 

“Akira!” a familiar voice called out. Akira turned, a relieved smile forming on her face. 

“Nagachika,” Akira greeted as the other blond skid to a stop in front of her, “You're late.” 

“You moved,” Hide accused, as his eyes darted about, “I heard you needed backup, but—” 

“I took care of it,” Akira shrugged unconcerned, “I'm sorry to cause you to worry.” 

“What happened?” Hide asked, worriedly glancing at her freshly bandaged hand, “Are you alright?” 

Akira paused, unsure how to answer him. Tonight's events were...unusual to say the least. After all, who would believe her if she claimed to have been saved from a ghoul by another ghoul? 

What on earth was going on with the world? 

White Rabbit's angry accusation towards Black Rabbit filled Akira's head. 

_'You weren't there! Don't you dare pretend that you know the situation—you weren't_ there!' 

Not there...That was true for Akira too, wasn't it? 

Akira frowned. For the first time, she wondered: What exactly happened the night her father died? And not just the bits and pieces that were in the report Amon had filed, but what was the whole situation? 

And why _did_ White Rabbit save Akira? 

“I drove the ghoul off,” Akira said to Hide, “I might need some stitches, but nothing too bad.” 

She hoped that her subordinate wouldn't call her out on her small omission (lie). Hide was scarily clever at times. For a moment, she thought she was caught when a pensive look fell over Hide's face for a second. But then he blinked, the thoughtful expression gone. It had been so brief that Akira was certain her nervous mind had imagined it, because now Hide was beaming at her widely. 

“Thanks Akira,” Hide bowed, low and grateful, “You really...thanks for making sure Touka was safe.” 

Akira ducked her head, suddenly feeling ashamed at hiding the truth. But she stuck with it, stubborn. 

“Thank you,” Akira murmured, “It was nothing. I only chased him away.” 

“Still, wow,” Hide grinned, patting her shoulder, “You're amazing Akira. Now, come on. Lemme call a cab for you.” 

Later, after Akira's hand was treated, and she was back home with Maris Stella purring on her lap, Akira attempted to breathe out the faint twinges of guilt that nipped at her heels. She should have told Hide about encountering both Rabbits then and there, but something about that battle on the rooftop was...personal. Private. Still, protocol dictated that Akira report the incident. Guilt ate at Akira, from both sides. 

Akira's memory of her father was already being eaten by the haze of time, but the love and respect she held for him was still as clear as day. She still wanted to avenge him to honor his memory. Yet at the same time, White Rabbit's small voice was so clear in Akira's head. 

_'Are—aren't you going to kill me?'_

Akira had already answered that, hadn't she? 

_'That would be a poor way to thank the person who just saved my life.'_

Akira sighed. Three days. She would give herself three days to sort out her thoughts, and then she would submit a report. That was within protocol for such an incident. 

Perhaps it was time to take another look at Amon's report from the night her father died. 

– 

Touka and Kaneki were leaning against each other on the couch by the time Hide got home. When he entered the living room, they turned their heads towards him to reveal active kakugan on pale faces. 

“Well, I'm suddenly ridiculously glad that I was able to convince Akira not to follow me home after getting stitched up,” Hide sighed as he shucked his coat, and walked over to sit on the floor across from them with the coffee table as a divider. Normally, he would have plopped down on the couch with them, but seeing how they were both shying away he decided against it, at least until the two of them had gotten more meat in them. 

Sometimes it sucked to be so fucking tasty. 

There was a trace of red on Touka's mouth and both of the ghouls' masks were on the coffee table. Touka was trying to be subtle about it, but judging by the way she gingerly held her side, she was hurt—badly. If Hide breathed in deep enough, the scent of copper touched his nose. 

Kaneki's brows furrowed in confusion, “Why would Akira follow you home?” 

Touka made a soft sound of realization. 

“It's me, isn't it? She wanted to make sure I made it home alright—the human me, not the ghoul me, I mean,” Touka realized her eyes wide in wonder. Hide nodded in confirmation. 

Touka sighed, her smile sad, “She should be more worried about herself. Is...Is Akira alright?” 

“Yeah, she's fine,” Hide nodded, “She's got some stitches for her hand, but it doesn't look like it's going to impair her fighting ability or anything like that.” 

“That's...that's good,” Touka sighed in relief, her shoulders slumping as tension drained from her. 

“What happened anyway?” Hide asked, frowning. Touka opened her mouth, paused, then smiled radiantly. 

“Something unbelievable,” Touka replied after a moment, “Akira...Akira let me go.” 

– 

In Kaneki's opinion, the worst part about tonight had been the fact that he had done so little to help Touka. Yes, he knew intellectually that she didn't require his help, and there wasn't much he could have done differently. She was strong in her own right, he _knew_ that, but in his heart...his _heart..._

Touka could have died. 

There were so many ways Touka's encounter with Ayato and Akira could have gone wrong. She could have died, and neither Kaneki nor Hide would have known before it was too late. 

_'I'm so weak...'_ his subconscious whispered to him, ' _I should have done_ something!' 

Kaneki groaned, and tried to bury his head into his pillow. Despite the late hour, his head was too full to sleep. After his third failed attempt to drift off, Kaneki got up and put on Haise's glasses. Hopefully he wouldn't wake the others. He needed to do something—be someone else for a little while. 

Haise padded quietly into the living room, his eyes half-lidded as he rubbed them beneath his glasses. He really should be sleeping, but his mind kept buzzing. Perhaps getting a head start on some chores would get him tired enough to fall into a dreamless sleep, without any nightmares. 

(Something that didn't exist laughed in his ear as numbers counted down. Stubbornly, he pretended he couldn't hear it.) 

He was too old to be jumping at shadows. In an attempt to calm himself, Haise took a deep breath. 

And smelled something...sweet. 

Unconsciously, his body moved on its own, lured in by that scent. When he blinked his eyes open (when did he close them?) he found himself with his nose buried in bloody beige fabric. In his hands was the large overcoat Touka had been wearing when she confronted Ayato. 

“What are you doing?” a sleepy voice asked, causing Haise to start. 

“Ah, nothing!” Haise squeaked, as he turned around. Touka was standing there, rubbing sleep from her eyes. The large t-shirt she wore covered up the bandages Haise knew were wrapped around her middle. 

“It's late, you should be asleep,” Touka accused, frowning faintly at Haise, “What are you doing?” 

Haise blushed faintly as he held up the large bloodstained coat. Really, the garment was ridiculous. Overall the cut of the coat made it rather shapeless and lumpy looking when worn. The coat tails almost reached Touka's ankles, and the sleeves dangled well past her fingertips. When she wore it, she looked like a small child playing dress up. 

Hell, _Haise_ looked small in the thing. 

“Ah, it's just...I was wondering. What are we going to do with this?” Haise asked Touka, waving the garment a bit. 

Touka shrugged as the sleepiness in her eyes cleared, “I dunno, clean it?” 

Haise stared at her. 

“You _can_ clean it, can't you?” Touka asked plaintively. The half-ghoul gaped at her. 

“You want to keep it?” he blinked, surprised, “But it's huge...and _ugly_!” 

“And you like it, don't lie,” Touka huffed, crossing her arms, “I saw you sniffing it earlier.” 

Haise flushed, the red going all the way down to his collar, before mumbling something quietly under his breath. 

Touka tilted her head, her expression curious, “What was that?” 

“Nothing!” Haise yelped, quickly pasting an innocent look on his face. Touka snorted in disbelief, but didn't push further. 

“I think I can make it part of my official costume as White Rabbit,” Touka mused, “I know it's not white, but it's pale enough. Besides, I don't want to look like all the color has been leeched from me, you know?” 

“But it's too big for you,” Haise pointed out. 

“We can just hem the sleeves,” Touka shrugged, unconcerned, “Otherwise it's not big enough for me to trip on. Besides, the large size hides my movements without impairing them. It's useful.” 

“It's ripped up,” Haise frowned, poking at one of the holes near the bloodstain. 

“We can sew it up,” Touka countered, “Actually, it gives the coat some character to have a few mended rips.” 

“But it's _ugly,_ ” Haise complained, still frowning faintly, “It doesn't suit you at all. You're far too beautiful to even be around such an ugly thing!” 

Touka opened her mouth to protest angrily, but suddenly she shut it, a thoughtful look on her face. Slowly, she reached out to grab Haise's free hand, twining their fingers together. 

“Somehow,” Touka began slowly, her voice quiet as Haise ducked his head in shame, “I don't think we're talking about just a coat anymore.” 

Kaneki scowled, looking away from her too clear eyes. At least he hadn't pulled away from her grasp. Touka looked down at their joined hands. She was holding on a little too tightly. So was he. 

“I like it, even if you don't,” Touka murmured quietly, still looking down at their hands. 

“Why?” Kaneki asked, his voice just as quiet as hers. 

Touka's smile lit up her beautiful face. 

“Because despite all the abuse it went through, it's still warm,” she replied, squeezing his hand once before heading back to bed. As Touka rounded the corner on her way to the bedroom, she noticed Hide leaning against the wall and grinning like a loon. 

“What?” she hissed at the human. Hide's smile just grew bigger, bright like sunshine. 

“You and Kaneki are too damn cute,” Hide sighed wistfully, “And my coworkers wonder why I'm a greedy bastard that tries to horde you two all to myself. So cute.” 

Touka's brow twitched in annoyance, and she looked away blushing, “We were just talking about a coat, you weirdo! That wasn't cute at all!” 

“Uh huh,” Hide drawled, his grin mischievous, “Whatever you say, Touka-chan.” 

She rolled her eyes and brushed past him. Even though she put up a front of being annoyed, she wasn't quite able to disguise her soft smile from the human. 

In the morning, when she was getting dressed, she noticed the coat in her closet, clean and mended, with the sleeves perfectly hemmed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yep, Touka just jacked that jacket. It's not like she can return the thing easily. In my head, it belonged to another ghoul investigator, just because it's funnier.  
> Sorry for taking so long with this chapter. I rewrote it like 3 times. >.<  
> One of the meanings of chrysanthemums in the language of flowers is cheerfulness under adversity. It can also mean love. In Asian tradition, chrysanthemums represent the season of autumn, as one of the “Four Noble Ones”. (Plum blossoms for spring, orchids for summer, and bamboo for winter.)


	12. Seek

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “So, it's revenge then? Oh, Akira...and I had thought so _highly_ of you.”

Akira scowled as she read through the report on her desk. It was a draft report, one of Amon's. It was handwritten, and while it was nostalgic to see his penmanship, Akira couldn't help but be frustrated. Amon's report was mostly filled with references to Centipede (called “Eyepatch” in the report) with only a brief mention of Rabbit. 

Akira sighed. She had already known that Amon's knowledge of the night her father died was limited. He wasn't there when her father died, but he had been the first on the scene. A few years ago, Akira would have blamed Amon for her father's death. She _had_ blamed him. But she knew better now. 

Still, even if Amon had only limited knowledge, perhaps somewhere, between the ink and pen strokes, there was something more. There had to be something that explained why Rabbit had killed the father but saved the daughter. Why? 

Akira didn't understand. 

_'As I battled Eyepatch, Doujima was destroyed by his kagune and I was forced to retreat,'_ Amon's report read, _'I suspect he has some kind of connection to Rabbit.'_

Akira hummed quietly as she reread that line. She had forgotten about that. Before his death, Centipede had been rumored to be allies with Rabbit. Although Rabbit and Centipede had only been shown to be connected together for a single case, Akira thought it was safe to assume that White Rabbit and Centipede truly were allies, considering the current Eyepatch (Centipede's rumored brother) and White Rabbit were both part of Anteiku. 

Centipede, huh? It had been awhile since Akira had thought of that particular ghoul. Centipede was confirmed deceased; there was little need for the CCG to dig into the files of neutralized threats. But, after reading into Amon's report, Akira was reminded that there were only four people that had any connection to her father's death. 

Amon. White Rabbit. Fueguchi. Centipede. 

Akira winced. Four people. Three of which were ghouls, and two that were thought to be dead. Trying to understand White Rabbit's motives by starting with the night Akira's father died was probably the wrong angle. She needed something else. 

Sighing again in frustration, Akira made to close the report shut, when a line of text leaped out at her. 

' _First Class Mado's death in the line of duty was my failure,'_ Amon's report continued. 

Reverently, she ran her hand over Amon's writing, imagining him writing his regrets onto the page. It hurt, for more than one reason. 

“I'm sorry, Amon,” Akira whispered to no one in particular as she finally closed the report. 

She slid the report back in its place in the Archives and made to leave when she noticed Hide browsing the stacks. It was hardly unusual to see him in here. Everyone knew that Hide was quite dedicated to his work, and often read over old reports, stuffing random bits of trivia into his skull. 

“Looking for something, Nagachika?” Akira asked, causing him to look up at her in surprise. 

“Akira, hey!” he grinned at her, scrubbing the back of his head with his hand sheepishly, “No, I'm not looking for anything in particular. Just skimming stuff.” 

“Oh? Find anything interesting?” Akira asked offhandedly. 

Hide shrugged and gestured with the report he was holding, “Same old, same old. Ghouls are bad, they eat people, we barely escaped with our lives...the usual. Sometimes I wished I had enough clearance to go nosing around in the restricted sections of the Archives. I'm sure the reports there have all sorts of interesting things. But at other times I think it's better that I can't read them. I'd probably not like what I find in there.” 

“What do you mean?” Akira asked, hoping her tone didn't come out too sharp. 

Hide gave her a searching look, his eyes too clear and too old for his usually cheerful face. He searched her expression, and seemed to find something that met his approval. He smiled, not the blinding grin he usually gave, but something small and a little sad. 

“Akira,” Hide began slowly, those piercing eyes holding her, “Sometimes I don't really like what I read in the common Archives. Whatever is in the restricted section is not for the faint of heart.” 

Akira snorted, “You're too kindhearted. What on earth made you want to pursue this kind of work?” 

Hide shrugged, “Who knows? Touka and Haise keep telling me that I should quit and join :re. Live a quiet life of making coffee and cookies, you know? But that would be _boring._ ” 

Akira smiled lightly, “Maybe. But I can see you liking it.” 

“Pfft, me living a quiet life would be like Haise working for the CCG,” Hide laughed, “It would just be wrong.” 

– 

Donato Porpora was, by his own admission, little more than a bird in a cage. The Priest was restless, entertained only by the occasional visit from a foolish little CCG puppet. It was amusing to tease all those fresh faced little Doves sent to pump information from the caged beast in the basement. Their terror was the only thing that could bring joy in Donato's bland life. So, when he was brought to the interrogation room, Donato felt a little bit of interest spark within him. 

Play time. 

Smiling quietly to himself, Donato arranged himself onto the flimsy folding chair in front of the shatterproof window, and waited for the investigator to show up. The Priest made sure to have his fatherly smile firmly in place. It always disturbed the humans a little more when he wore it. He wondered who would be questioning him today. Some new baby chick sent to test his mettle against the CCG's tamed monster? Or perhaps someone more...interesting? 

The door opened and Donato's guest entered, set a briefcase down, and sat in the chair on the other side of the glass. Donato's smile widened. 

Someone interesting indeed. 

“Mado Akira,” Donato greeted, drawing out her name carefully, “A pleasure to see you again.” 

The blond woman smiled, winter in her eyes, “I would say the same, but I wouldn't want to lie.” 

Donato laughed, pleased. Oh, Akira was such a _fun_ opponent. The last traces of his boredom evaporated like water on a hot skillet. 

“What can I do for you, Akira?” Donato asked as he leaned back in his chair. He didn't miss the way the corner of her mouth tightened, obviously irritated at his overly friendly manner. She had never given him the permission to use her given name. Not that Donato cared. 

Donato made a show of looking around next to Akira, his brow arching. 

“No little ducklings following you around today?” Donato asked, faintly curious, “Where's that talkative cheerful child of yours?” 

“Nagachika is busy today,” Akira replied in a clipped tone. Donato hummed thoughtfully, sparing her a speculative glance. 

“No, I don't think so,” the ghoul murmured thoughtfully, drumming his fingers against his knee, “That child is nothing if not overcautious. He wouldn't let you come here by yourself if he had known you were going to visit me. So he doesn't know you're here, and if he doesn't know, neither does the rest of your squad. And if your squad doesn't know you're here...my, my. You're not here under orders. No one sent you. Interesting.” 

Akira's mouth tightened again. Donato smirked. He had caught her red-handed. 

“You're right. I'm here on my own accord,” Akira said stiffly, looking as if it pained her to confess that the ghoul was correct. 

“I see,” Donato all but purred as he leaned forward, “Tell me Akira, what brings you to visit an old man, hmm?” 

“I would like to have your opinion on something,” Akira told him as she reached into her briefcase and pulled out a slim stack of papers. She slid them into the slot at the bottom of the window, passing them over to Donato. He took the papers without fanfare, and started skimming over the contents. 

“Anteiku, huh?” Donato murmured quietly, as he flipped through the admittedly sparse profiles Akira provided him, “You seem to be lacking quite a bit of information on them.” 

“Indeed,” Akira nodded grimly, “They seem to avoid confrontation with the CCG, and what little we know of them are based off their interactions with Aogiri.” 

“An Anti-Aogiri group?” Donato mused, “Not exactly unusual. There have been ghouls who opposed Aogiri in the past. What's so special about Anteiku?” 

“Within their ranks is a ghoul called White Rabbit,” Akira explained, “That ghoul was part of my father's last case.” 

“His murderer,” Donato deduced, as he ran a finger down White Rabbit's profile, “So, it's revenge then? Oh, Akira...and I had thought so _highly_ of you.” 

“I encountered White Rabbit two days ago,” Akira continued, her gaze cast downward to look at her still bandaged hand, “I was in the middle of combat with another ghoul when White Rabbit intervened.” 

“And White Rabbit helped your prey escape?” Donato assumed, smirking a little. Akira shook her head, looking up to meet the ghoul's eyes. 

“No,” Akira confessed, “I was losing. White Rabbit saved my life.” 

She glanced away. She didn't want to see what sort of expression would be on Donato's face. 

Shock? Bemusement? Regardless, Akira didn't want to see it. Donato's silence already spoke volumes. 

Akira took a deep breath, before speaking again, “I need to know. Why would a ghoul spare an investigator?” 

For a second, Donato froze, stunned at her question. 

Why would a ghoul spare an investigator? Was she really asking _him_ that? Hah, there was only one reason for a ghoul to spare any human, and it was a reason Donato was familiar with. Donato's lips curled into a bitter smile. Oh yes, he was _quite_ familiar with that one reason. 

Donato could still remember it like it was yesterday. The image of a tiny fear-filled face peeking out around a door, filled his mind. That moment was crystallized in Donato's memories, along with his own far too calm words. 

_'Koutarou. Who said you could enter?'_

The Priest couldn't help it. It was so...hilarious! Instantly, the room was filled with his loud guffaws. Oh, this was too good! 

Akira, icy untouchable Akira, had made a _friend_ —with a _ghoul_! 

“What?” Akira snapped angrily, standing from her chair to glare down at him, “What's so funny?” 

“Foolish girl,” Donato sneered, as his snickers faded away, “The answer is obvious. It's practically in front of your face.” 

“I didn't come here to be insulted,” Akira hissed, her eyes narrowing into dangerous slits, “I came for answers!” 

“And it's not my place to give you those,” Donato replied calmly, endlessly pleased when he heard her teeth gnash together, “But a word of advice—if you chose to continue to chase after Anteiku, be prepared to destroy yourself in the process. What awaits you is a cruel future.” 

“I am a ghoul investigator,” Akira snapped back, standing tall and proud, “I am prepared to die in the line of duty.” 

“So you are,” Donato laughed again, tilting his head in acknowledgment, “Good luck then, Akira.” 

He smiled as she left. It wasn't a nice smile. 

– 

Akira visited :re the next day. She went by herself during a time when she knew that there would be few people visiting the cafe—after the lunch rush but well before dinner. As her hand reached for the door, she smiled ruefully at the bandages covering her skin. Akira carefully tugged her sleeve down over her wounded right hand and reached for the door with her left. 

No need to worry anyone. 

“Welcome to :re!” a cheerful voice greeted. Akira blinked in surprise. That voice didn't belong to Touka. Instead, Haise stood behind the counter, waving. 

“Haise,” Akira smiled in greeting, waving back at :re's cook, “Did Touka let you out of the kitchen today?” 

Haise laughed, scratching his cheek, “Well, we're a little short handed at the moment, so I've been put to work up front.” 

Akira raised her eyebrow. That was unusual. While Haise did come out front to mingle with the customers to make sure the food was alright, it was rare that he was the one taking orders since he was usually busy in the kitchen. 

“Where are the others?” Akira asked, as she looked about. There weren't any customers at the moment, but also, there was no staff besides Haise. 

“I'm the only one here,” Haise shrugged, “It's slow, so it's not bad. Hinami and Nishio-sempai will be joining me for the evening rush.” 

“Touka isn't here?” Akira frowned. She had wanted to check on the younger woman to make sure everything was alright. 

“I'm sorry, Akira, but Touka isn't here today,” Haise apologized, “Seeing as what happened the other day, Hide and I convinced her to take a small vacation.” 

Akira sighed, unsurprised, “Understandable. After what happened...it must have been an ordeal for her. I'm sorry for that. I endangered her.” 

“No!” Haise shouted suddenly, causing Akira to be taken back. Haise was usual so soft-spoken—he never shouted. But now Haise was looking at her with a firm earnest expression, his gray eyes more determined than she had ever seen from him. 

“You saved her,” Haise breathed, wonder peeking through in his voice, “Touka could have—if it wasn't for you, Touka wouldn't have been able to get away. You _saved_ her.” 

Akira frowned, “The ghoul was likely there for me. The least I could do was lure it away so she could escape.” 

A grateful smile spread over Haise's face, his eyes kind, “Precisely, Akira. You protected her. You saved her. She's fine because of you. I'll never be able to repay you. Thank you.” 

He bowed then, low and respectful, gratitude radiating from him. Akira looked down, just as uncomfortable with Haise's regard. Really, she had done little for Touka other than to tell the younger woman to run away while Akira confronted Black Rabbit. In all honesty, Akira's involvement in Touka's safety was minimal at best. 

“You give me too much credit,” Akira sighed, her face troubled. 

“And you give yourself too little,” Haise insisted, with a smile, “Akira, thank you for all you have done.” 

Akira nodded quietly, and let herself be led to an empty table. She gave Haise her order, and sat down to think in silence. 

What on earth was she doing? She shouldn't have let White Rabbit go. Allowing such a dangerous creature to live wasn't wise. In fact, Akira probably endangered more lives with her reckless actions. If White Rabbit killed anyone, it would be on Akira's head. 

But Akira knew that killing White Rabbit would have been...wrong. The ghoul had saved Akira's life. Akira had been weaponless before a SS-rate ghoul. She should have died. Taking the life of the person who had allowed her to see the next day was wrong. 

But why had White Rabbit saved Akira? Surely the grudge between Aogiri and Anteiku wasn't so terrible that Anteiku would team up with a CCG agent to strike back at Aogiri. Akira frowned and let her instincts guide her. 

Wait. She had it wrong the first time. What had happened last night had nothing to do with Aogiri and Anteiku. Last night had been personal, for all three people involved. If what was said on the rooftops was true, the Rabbits really were siblings. White Rabbit was the elder, though by how much, Akira wasn't certain. The CCG had very little information on White Rabbit. Even the ghoul's gender was elusive, muddled as it was by the shapeless clothing the ghoul wore and the voice changer. 

But what was certain by now was that it was White Rabbit, not Black, that had killed Mado Kureo. Hide had mentioned a theory years ago about the two Rabbits, back before the CCG was even certain that there _were_ two Rabbits. White Rabbit had only killed for vengeance—for Fueguchi's sake. Black Rabbit was the vicious one, killing investigators with little rhyme or reason...except there was reason for it, wasn't there? In Hide's theory, Black Rabbit was trying to draw attention away from his sibling. 

Then why did the Rabbits fight so viciously against each other? 

And why did White Rabbit save Akira, the daughter of Mado, the target of the ghoul's vengeance? It didn't make sense. 

For once in her career, Akira didn't have any good answers. 

“Here you go, Akira,” Haise said politely, startling Akira from her thoughts. Haise placed her usual latte and a slice of cake she didn't order on the table. 

“I didn't ask for this,” Akira furrowed her brows, surprised at the dessert. 

“It's on the house,” he replied with a kind smile. He made to leave, but Akira caught his wrist. He stiffened, just barely, before relaxing beneath her fingers. 

“Haise,” Akira began hesitantly, “The ghoul, no, the _ghouls_...they got away. I failed in my duty.” 

Haise smiled again, sweet and soft, and squeezed her hand reassuringly, “You say that, but the role of a CCG agent is not to kill ghouls. It is to protect lives. You did your duty perfectly, Akira. You have nothing to be sorry about.” 

She stared at him, surprised. Haise...he really was such a good child. She let him head back to the kitchen, as she looked back at her meal. Her head had never felt so full. 

Akira picked up her fork and pulled the plate closer. The cake was beautiful, decorated with gleaming fruits and delicate chocolate. Carefully, she speared a small piece with her fork and brought it to her mouth. The cake tasted divine on her tongue. The coffee was amazing as usual, rich and full, with latte art of elegant lace on top. :re really did have wonderful food and coffee. 

As Akira ate, she let her worries be washed away, only to be replaced with conviction. Regardless of what had transpired between herself and the Rabbits, and turmoil it had caused in her mind, her duty was clear and simple. It was just as Haise had said. As a ghoul investigator it was her duty to protect humanity, to protect quiet civilian places like this. Protecting :re and its people: that was something she could decide on easily. 

As long as she could hold onto that conviction, that duty, then all would be well. 

– 

Ayato scowled as he entered the greenhouse on Aogiri's compound. Tatara had called yet another meeting for Aogiri's executives after Ayato had missed the one from a few days ago. Ayato was _not_ looking forward to Tatara chewing him out over it. 

When he entered the greenhouse, Naki, Miza, and Tatara were already there. Takizawa was also sitting in a corner, grinning like a loon, but Ayato didn't count him. The crazed ex-Dove was never fully “there.” 

Ayato noted that neither Noro nor Eto had bothered to show up. Ayato felt his irritation spike. While he would get reamed for missing a meeting, Noro and Eto could do whatever the fuck they wanted. 

Such fucking bullshit. 

“Where were you?” Tatara asked, his voice cold and not a little accusing. 

“Does it matter?” Ayato scoffed as he took a seat, “I made it to _this_ meeting, right?” 

Tatara's eyes narrowed, “You should have been at the first meeting. We were forced to reschedule thanks to your absence.” 

“Oh, lay off the kid, Tatara,” Miza sighed, “It wasn't that big of a deal. And besides, the rescheduling worked in our favor.” 

“I want an explanation,” Tatara scowled, regardless, “Where were you?” 

“I was spying on Anteiku, okay?” Ayato snapped, his tempter spilling over, “I saw my shitty sister on the street and decided to follow her to find out some information.” 

Tatara hummed, some of his hostility dissipating. 

“And what did you find?” Tatara asked neutrally. 

Ayato paused, clenching his teeth. After a few moments, he replied. 

“Doves,” Ayato growled out, “Anteiku is playing some sort of game with the Doves. I don't know what, but they're sticking their nose deep into CCG business.” 

“The CCG?” Naki echoed, his eyes blinking. 

Miza snorted, her arms crossing, “Ayato, your sister and her friends are crazy. Wasn't Anteiku almost wiped out two years ago? They're stretching themselves too thin.” 

“Then, they will likely not be a problem in the near future,” Tatara reasoned, waving a dismissive hand, “They will burn out quickly.” 

“Don't they have the notes the Doc wanted?” Naki asked, his brow scrunching in confusion as he scratched his head, “Don't we still need to get those?” 

“Yes,” Tatara nodded, side-eying Ayato, “Ayato. Since you are so eager to play with Anteiku, the task is yours.” 

Ayato grit his teeth. When did Tatara's orders start getting so fucking annoying? Despite his frustration, Ayato nodded in acknowledgment. 

“Got it.” 

– 

The three days Akira allotted for herself to report the incident with the Rabbits passed in a blur. Old reports had nothing of value. Donato had done nothing but insult her, and laugh in her face. Really, she had no idea why she had even bothered going to the Priest. Donato loved his games far too much. 

Time was up, and Akira was no closer to getting any deeper insight into White Rabbit's mind than before. Akira sighed and prepared to deliver her report. She was in luck; the next meeting for the Anti-Anteiku task force was today. She could deliver it verbally, so that everyone was up to speed. 

Briefly she wondered if Hide would be disappointed that she hadn't told him the details right away when he had found her that night. She knew he wouldn't be angry, but still...she didn't want her teammates to be ashamed of their squad leader. 

All three squads (Mado, Hirako, and Suzuya) were all present at the meeting, along with Marude. Akira waited until everyone was seated before standing in the front of the room, her head held high. 

She had nothing to be ashamed of. A memory of a soft, reassuring smile filled her. 

_'You say that, but the role of a CCG agent is not to kill ghouls. It is to protect lives.'_

“Three days ago,” Akira began, without preamble, “I encountered Black Rabbit while off duty.” 

Instantly, every eye in the room was centered on her. Akira felt an odd calm settle in her. It was as Haise had said: she had nothing to be sorry about. 

– 

Akira delivered her report cleanly and concisely, as was her wont. She laid out the facts as they were. She had encountered Black Rabbit, they fought, and she lost. At the last moment, White Rabbit interfered to Akira's benefit. Akira didn't bother to verbalize her confusion at White Rabbit's behavior. 

There was one thing Akira tweaked slightly. She glossed over White Rabbit's injuries, and made it sound as if the ghoul had escaped, not that Akira had let the ghoul go. No one would have understood why Akira had done what she had. Akira barely understood it herself. It was just that—White Rabbit had saved Akira's life. Akira had to let the ghoul go after that. A life for a life. Akira and White Rabbit were even now. 

Right? 

“Can you remember anything else?” Marude asked, once Akira was done, “Anything of value?” 

Akira shook her head, “No, I don't—” 

And then, a memory flashed before her eyes: Black Rabbit flinging accusations at his sibling. 

_'You can't be that damned blind. That shitty one-eyed bastard might have made you go all soft, but you're not fucking dumb.'_

“One-eyed...” Akira whispered, recalling Black Rabbit's words. 

“What?” Marude frowned, confused. 

“One-eyed,” Akira said again louder, “Black Rabbit...he said something about a 'one-eyed bastard.'” 

“The One-Eyed Owl?” Marude tried to clarify, his voice sharp, “Or Aogiri's One-Eyed King?” 

“Neither,” Akira shook her head, her brow furrowed as her mind churned, “He was referencing someone White Rabbit knew—someone in Anteiku, I think. Is it possible that Anteiku has a One-Eyed in their ranks?” 

Marude's face went white as a sheet. 

“This meeting is over!” Marude snarled, standing up so fast, his chair toppled over, “Everyone out! Mado, you stay. And someone get the Director! Now!” 

– 

“I don't get it,” Shirazu confessed after everyone had been tossed out of the meeting room save for Marude, Akira, and the newly arrived Director, Washuu Yoshitoki. With the meeting being cut short, the rest of the Mado squad found themselves congregating at :re for coffee. It was still rather early for the lunch rush to start, so the investigators had the cafe to themselves. At the moment, only Nishiki and Yomo were on duty. Vaguely, Hide wondered where his roommates were at. Usually, Haise and Touka were at work at this time. 

“What's wrong, Shirazu?” Hide asked as he sipped his drink. 

Shirazu shrugged helplessly, “It's just—the meeting today. Why did Marude freak out, and what the hell is a One-Eyed?” 

Behind the bar counter, both Nishiki and Yomo froze for the briefest of seconds. They quickly relaxed, and pretended to go back to their business, but Hide knew they were now listening to every word. 

Hide sighed and ran his hand through his hair, “Oh boy, where to start? So, I'm assuming you guys have heard about the One-Eyed Owl, right?” 

Both Shirazu and Saiko looked confused, but Mutsuki was nodding and Urie also looked informed. 

“The One-Eyed Owl is a powerful SSS-ranked ghoul affiliated with Aogiri (you idiots),” Urie clarified for his teammates, “It's considered the most dangerous ghoul alive today.” 

“Correct,” Hide nodded. 

“Why is it called One-Eyed?” Shirazu asked, his brows furrowed in confusion. 

Hide sighed again, his hands raking through his hair, “The One-Eyed Owl is a One-Eyed Ghoul. They're called One-Eyes because their kakugan only manifests in one eye.” 

“Weird,” Saiko commented, scrunching her nose, “Papa, I don't get it. What's so scary about that?” 

“One-Eyes have been noted by the CCG to be particular powerful,” Hide shrugged, running a finger around the lip of his mug idly, “Rumor has it that other ghouls are terrified of them, because they're known for cannibalizing in large quantities. Look at One-Eyed Owl. Owl's kakuja is massive. That's only possible by eating ghouls in the truckloads.” 

“Scary,” Mutsuki breathed, rubbing his arms to calm down the goosebumps that had risen. 

“And Akira thinks Anteiku has one?” Shirazu gasped, his eyes going wide, “Well, shit.” 

Silence fell over the group as everyone digested this latest development. 

“Oi, Nagachika,” Nishiki called out, jerking his head towards the kitchen, “A word in private?” 

“Sorry, a cranky sempai calls,” Hide laughed as he stood up from the table, “This might take a bit, so why don't you head back to HQ without me? Don't worry about the bill, I'll get it.” 

“Thanks, Papa!” Saiko cheered, pleased as always to be treated to free food. The other three echoed her thanks, waving at Hide as he left the table. 

Hide followed Nishiki into the kitchen, unsurprised that as soon as the door closed behind them, the ghoul kicked open the secret trapdoor in the kitchen floor. 

“Shitty Touka and idiot Kaneki are training downstairs,” Nishiki informed the human, pitching his voice low so it wouldn't carry, “Go get 'em, and spread the bad news.” 

– 

Touka would never admit it, but she did find it a little funny that :re, an establishment frequented by Doves, had a secret entrance into the underground ghoul tunnels that made up the 24th Ward. Similar to the old coffee shop, a trapdoor in the kitchen lead down to a vast hollowed out area that had been claimed as Anteiku's training grounds. 

At the moment, Touka and Kaneki were sparring. Or rather they had been sparring. Kaneki had just swept Touka's legs out from underneath her, and she had crashed to the floor in an undignified heap. At first, she tried to rise, but chose differently when her muscles screamed in protest. She was too fucking tired. 

Touka groaned as she flopped on her back wearily. Everything was sore, and her lungs were working like bellows. Normally she wasn't this exhausted so quickly, but she still wasn't fully recovered from the poisoning and beating she took. She stared at the ceiling, only to have her vision taken up by Kaneki's worried face as he leaned over her. To her irritation, her sparring partner only had a thin sheen of sweat across his brow, but otherwise looked fine. 

“Are you alright?” Kaneki asked as her as he offered her a hand up. For a second, she thought about ignoring his hand, but decided swallow her pride. She hurt too damn much. 

“Fine,” Touka grumbled as she took his hand. She smiled at him tiredly, and stretched her hands upward. Her shirt rode up just enough to reveal smooth skin without a trace of the wound she had received three days prior. Even so, she stretched too far, and winced, curling her arms around her side as something beneath the unmarked skin screamed in protest. 

Kaneki frowned at her reaction, “Maybe this was a bad idea. You're still hurt.” 

“Are you fucking _babying_ me, Kaneki?” Touka snapped her eyes blazing with fury, “I'm not made of fucking glass!” 

He stared at her in panic, his gray eyes going wide and nervous, “I—” 

Snarling, she pushed away from him, and let her kagune flare out behind her. The RC-cells sputtered a bit, indicating her exhaustion, but her stubbornness forced the wing to solidify. 

“I want another match!” she snapped as she settled into a ready stance. 

“Touka-chan—!” Kaneki attempted to protest. She cut him off with a swift kick to his head. To her eternal annoyance, he blocked the attack easily with a quick sweep of his arm. He followed through with the movement, curling his arm around her outstretched leg and pulling. 

She fell to the ground with a groan, her leg still caught in his grasp. She tried pulling away, but he held on fast, as unmovable as a mountain. Frustrated, she looked up at him, her ire cooling slightly when she caught sight of the expression on his face. He stared at her as if he was looking through her, and there was nothing soft on his face. 

“You're not listening to me,” Kaneki murmured blandly, his voice flat. 

“Fine,” Touka hissed, though her temper still was still a glowing coal in her chest, “What do you want to say, Kaneki?” 

His head bowed, his blank mask crumbling to reveal a worried visage. He gently let her go, and crouched down to be face level with her. 

“It's just...” he sighed, running his hands through his sweaty hair, “You don't have to prove yourself to me, Touka-chan. I already know you're not weak. You're the strongest person I know.” 

Touka scoffed, looking away from his suddenly open face, “I thought that was Hide.” 

“Hide's the craziest person I know,” Kaneki corrected, “But you're the strongest. I wish I could have half of your conviction.” 

Touka shoved him lightly, a small smile etching itself on her face, before she sighed out fondly, “Idiot.” 

Kaneki smiled at her, as he stood and helped her up, “I don't think you're weak, okay? But you were hurt pretty badly not too long ago, and eating all that human food didn't help you in the slightest. You need some time to rest. You'll probably be all healed up tomorrow.” 

“I know,” she huffed, blowing at her bangs, “I just want to be better _now_ , not tomorrow.” 

A bright laugh interrupted the ghouls' conversation. As one, the pair turned towards the entrance of :re's training grounds. Hide waved at them cheerfully. 

“Man, I wish I could heal that fast—three days after getting impaled in the gut and being at almost 100 percent? Talk about first world problems,” Hide teased as he sauntered closer to the ghouls. 

Touka crossed her arms with a scowl, “Shut up.” 

Kaneki frowned at the human. Neither ghoul liked to be reminded how _frail_ Hide really was. Hide casually ignored Kaneki's disappointed face, and flashed another grin before his face smoothed out to a more serious expression. 

“Look, we've got a problem,” Hide sighed, running his hands through his hair, “It's not bad yet, but...I think we need to take some precautions.” 

Touka and Kaneki shared a quick glance, obviously sensing the nerves in Hide's voice. Whatever he was going to say next would probably be unsavory. 

They were proven right in the following moment as Hide opened his mouth and began to relay to them what had happened in the latest CCG meeting. 

– 

Washuu Yoshitoki sighed as flipped through his notes. He was back in his office conferring with Marude about the _interesting_ report that had just come to him. Mado Akira's latest report was quite...troubling, to be perfectly honest. It was almost unbelievable that the CCG had missed another One-Eyed Ghoul running around Tokyo. 

That is, if Anteiku really did have a One-Eyed Ghoul. 

“Your thoughts, Marude?” Yoshitoki asked, as he leaned back into his chair, his hands steepled in front of his face, “Do you think Anteiku will be a problem?” 

“Anteiku has proven to be more vigorous than we had thought,” Marude replied, drumming his fingers across Yoshitoki's desk, “But they lost a lot two years ago, and they seem to be more a thorn in Aogiri's side than our own.” 

Yoshitoki smiled faintly, “True. They even purposefully ran away from CCG agents during our confrontation with them. Aogiri and the One-Eyed King will remain our priority. Still, we will continue to observe Anteiku.” 

Marude saluted crisply, obviously in agreement, “Yes sir.” 

Yoshitoki merely nodded before turning his gaze to the windows, his lips pressed in a thin line. Taking the other man's silence as dismissal, Marude's let himself out without another word. After his old friend left, Yoshitoki sighed and closed his eyes tiredly. 

“I suppose I will have to let V know.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gah, this chapter was so hard. Hope I did alright. Thanks for reading! /bows
> 
> I think I'm going to try to be better about replying to comments. Sometimes I don't know how to respond to them. I always fret that a simple thank you isn't enough, so I end up staring at my screen not writing anything and feeling nervous. (My BFF says I'm being silly.) Please know that I do appreciate every message. Each one always makes me very happy!


	13. Visit

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Why? Are you going to make me, stupid sister?”

Urie was—to be perfectly honest—bored. Anteiku was certainly a crafty group. They left very little evidence behind them, and every time the CCG encountered them on the field, Anteiku had expressed almost no interest in confronting the investigators. Other than the encounter between the Rabbits and squad leader Mado Akira over a month ago, the CCG had heard nothing out of the ghoul group. As a result of such little information, the Mado squad's investigation on Anteiku was going nowhere. 

Still, it was only a matter of time. Anteiku was in direct conflict with Aogiri. Eventually Aogiri would do something to force Anteiku to show their hand. It was a matter of when, not if. 

But in the meantime, the Mado squad was stuck waiting, without a clear path forward. Their only relevant clue on Anteiku rested with the RC-cell research conducted by the team from Kamii University. That research was important enough to both Aogiri and Anteiku that both ghoul groups were willing to war over it. 

It was due to this one single clue that Urie found himself wasting time at a hospital. 

Nishino Kimi was, if the reports were correct, a brilliant scientist and researcher, far beyond what was expected given her age. At the moment, she was a silent body on a bed, a victim of ghouls. Even unconscious, there was concern that she would be kidnapped for the information locked in her head. Not too long ago, the CCG had resolved to have periodic checks on Nishino, and the Mado squad was part of the rotation. At the moment Urie and Yonebayashi Saiko were partnered up to perform one of the routine checks on Nishino. 

While Urie would be among the first to admit that observing and guarding an unconscious woman was mind-numbingly boring, he was beyond irritated with his partner. Yonebayashi, the lazy girl, had fallen asleep in the visitor chair the instant they had entered the room. 

Urie grit his teeth. He and Yonebayashi should have left nearly an hour ago. Their scheduled check-up on Nishino was finished. But his blue-haired teammate would not wake _up_. 

Urie bit back a blistering curse. This was why he preferred to be partnered with Mutsuki. Shirazu was a loudmouth, and Yonebayashi was a complete slacker. Mutsuki was the sensible one, even more so than Nagachika, their crazy vice captain. With Mutsuki, Urie never had to deal with stupid shit. 

“You're a pain in the ass,” Urie grumbled at his snoozing squad mate. Yonebayashi merely mumbled in her sleep, a blissful smile on her face. 

Groaning in frustration, Urie pulled out his phone intent on dialing Nagachika. Let the blond deal with the lazy NEET, Urie had better things to do. 

Just as he was about to hit the call button, Urie noticed something strange. 

Nishino...did she just move? 

– 

Kaneki wished he could say that after Touka's confrontation between Ayato and Akira things had calmed down. That was hardly the case. Aogiri seemed intent on trespassing into Anteiku's territory leaving gory displays of might. Although Anteiku had yet to have another direct conflict with the other ghoul group, Aogiri's actions were becoming more obvious. 

Reports of Aogiri members encroaching on claimed territory—Pro-Aogiri graffiti showing up everywhere—A family of ghouls slaughtered... 

To be honest, Kaneki was becoming worried that the CCG would start taking note of Aogiri's antics in the 20th Ward soon. More CCG interest in the 20th Ward was the _last_ thing Anteiku needed, and Aogiri knew it. Their only saving grace was that Aogiri seemed to prefer stirring up trouble in the more heavily ghoul populated areas of the 20th Ward, leaving the humans more or less alone. 

It was obvious. Aogiri was not targeting the CCG or any humans. They were calling out Anteiku. 

At the moment, Kaneki was standing in one of the 20th Ward's back alleys, Tsukiyama to his left, and Hori Chie to his right. Hori's camera was out, snapping pictures like mad. She was meticulous, gathering the evidence like a seasoned professional. The smell of iron was almost overwhelming the instant they had stepped foot into the alley. Aogiri apparently decided to leave a rather _unsubtle_ message. 

An entire wall was covered in bloody writing. In addition to the script, a crude picture of Aogiri's symbol was painted on the wall. At the foot of the wall, just below the writing, was a messy pile of body parts, haphazardly arranged. Judging by the half eaten remains of a kakuhou found in the mess of organs, the victim was a ghoul. Siting on top of the pile was the victim's head, its eyes gouged out leaving empty voids. One eyeball had been shoved in the corpse's mouth, cradled by its tongue. The other was simply...missing. 

It was a blatant taunt. 

Kaneki frowned as he took in the sight before him. The scent of ghoul blood filled the air, sickening like rotting fish and bile. Despite the disgust that filled him, his stomach rumbled slightly, as if in hunger. Kaneki grit his teeth as the sound of insect legs skittering the dark filled his ears. 

No. 

Kaneki pushed the darkness (the hunger) away, and focused on the present. When Tsukiyama had called :re with the message that his people had _found_ something, Kaneki had hoped (foolishly) that it was something trivial. 

“This is the third one this week, _monsieur_ ,” Tsukiyama informed Kaneki. 

“'In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king,'” Kaneki spat, reading the message painted on the wall, “Aogiri and their One-Eyed King!” 

“They've become quite bold, non?” Tsukiyama purred, clearly amused. Kaneki glared at him with his single kakugan. 

“This isn't a game, Tsukiyama,” Kaneki growled, before softening his voice and turning to Hori, “Chie-san, what are your thoughts?” 

“Well, I'm sure you're already guessed, but Aogiri is becoming impatient,” Hori explained calmly, putting her camera down to address Kaneki directly, “These messages are a way of showcasing their power to intimidate anyone getting in their way. In other words, Anteiku.” 

Kaneki sighed, running a hand through his hair, “Damn Aogiri.” 

“This is practically a declaration of war, Kaneki-kun,” Tsukiyama murmured, studying the bloody message, “They're aiming for the 20th Ward...and for the information we have.” 

“Of course they are,” Kaneki mumbled under his breath, and then, louder, “Any suggestions? I could use some good news right about now.” 

Tsukiyama and Hori shared a glance before the handsome ghoul smiled and shrugged bonelessly, “Well, we could—” 

Tsukiyama was suddenly cut off by a jaunty tune coming from Kaneki's pocket. Quickly, Kaneki fished around his coat and withdrew his phone, his whole posture softening into something a little less intense when he saw who was on the other line. He turned his back to the grisly scene in the alley, and answered the call. 

“Hello?” Haise greeted. 

“ _Maman!_ ” Saiko's voice chirped from the other side of the phone, “ _Sorry to bother you, but Papa said it was important, and he's already trying to call Mama, and there's not enough of him, or enough phones, so I got the job to call you!_ ” 

“Slow down, Saiko-chan!” Haise laughed, purposefully ignoring Hori's incredulous look and Tsukiyama's amused smirk, “What's going on? What was that about Hide and Touka?” 

“ _The news isn't about them, Maman!_ ” Saiko whined into the phone, loud enough that Haise was sure that even Hori with her human ears could hear, “ _Papa thought you'd like to know—Kimi-san, she's awake!_ ” 

– 

Hide normally loved Fridays. Fridays with long morning meetings though...yeah, pass. Marude had called the whole anti-Anteiku task force for a last minute meeting, and Hide could just tell that this meeting was going to be a long, painful one. 

At least one of the topics being covered would be good news. Hide grinned to himself. While he had only gotten to speak with her briefly yesterday, Kimi was awake—groggy and in pain, but awake. It was the first piece of good news they had gotten in awhile, so Hide was understandably excited. So excited that he had stayed up much later than he was supposed to, leaving him a bit sluggish in the morning. 

Ah well, there was no getting around it. At least Juuzo had reminded Hide of his promise to order breakfast for the task force from :re. Breakfast (and one of :re's cappuccinos) sounded heavenly, though Hide did feel a touch of guilt. With so many people coming to the meeting, the order was large, and Haise would be responsible for delivering all of it. The half-ghoul was the only member of :re's staff that could pass the RC-gates. 

Despite the slight guilt he felt, the hardened strategist inside of Hide was quietly pleased. Security tapes and in person witnesses would see Haise walk through the RC-gates with ease. It was such a small thing, but it cemented Kaneki's back-story as an ordinary human civilian. 

Hide arrived at the office and promptly went upstairs to the 5th floor. He swung open the door for the conference room, and sighed. At the moment, Hide was the only one from the task force at the office. Sighing in boredom, Hide collapsed in a chair and started up a game on his phone. Twenty minutes had passed when a knock on the door prompted him to stand. When he pulled open the door, Haise's bespectacled face smiled back at him. 

“Good morning!” Haise chirped as he pushed a cart laden with paper bags and boxes through the doorway. For a brief second, Hide wondered how on earth his roommate could be so awake so early. Hide chalked it up to good acting and a shit ton of coffee. 

“Oh, you made it!” Hide cheered, moving to assist his roommate, “You're earlier than I expected.” 

Haise began opening the containers he brought, pulling out an assortment of breakfast items. The two roommates began laying out the food on one side of the table. Between the two of them, the meal was quickly laid out, filling the room with the scent of baked goods and coffee. 

“Trust me, I thought I was going to be late too,” Haise huffed, as he handed his roommate a muffin, “The order you put in was a bit larger than :re was used to. I had to get a little—ah—inventive to get everything ready in time. But it all worked out.” 

Hide bit into his muffin to disguise a smirk. Hide knew full well that when Haise was overwhelmed with orders in the kitchen, the half-ghoul would cheat and use his kagune as extra hands. The CCG eating breakfast prepared by a ghoul's kagune—hilarious. Too bad Hide couldn't share the joke with his co-workers. 

“The others will (hopefully) be arriving in a few minutes,” Hide explained around a mouthful of muffin, “I don't know why Marude set up this meeting in the morning. No one is going to be awake except Akira.” 

“And you,” Haise pointed out, “And Hirako-san—he seems to be the type to take meetings seriously.” 

“Sometimes I think he falls asleep with his eyes open,” Hide muttered, “Rumor has it that's what Arima does—makes sense that Hirako would have learned the technique. And keep your mouth shut about me being attentive at meetings. I'm tired today. Besides, I like pretending that I'm asleep so that I don't get called on to answer questions.” 

“Is that so?” a droll feminine voice intoned, “I'll be sure to call you out more often then, Nagachika.” 

In unison, the roommates turned towards the door to see Akira enter the room. 

“Hey, Akira,” Hide waved at his superior as he finished off his muffin, licking crumbs off his fingers, “How are ya?” 

“Tired,” she replied curtly as she took a seat at the table. She looked over at the pair with eyes lined with tired bags. Hide winced in sympathy. 

“I-I'll go pour you both some coffee,” Haise offered, already fumbling with one of the thermoses he had brought, “Um, would you like cream and sugar, Akira?” 

“Yes, please,” Akira replied, smiling a little as Haise began prepping a cup, “Thank you for preparing a meal for the task force. Your hard work is appreciated.” 

Haise smiled happily as he set the finished coffee in front of Akira, his expression genuinely sweet, “No, thank you. Your continued patronage means a great deal to us at the cafe.” 

Akira took a deep sip from her drink, the steam rising up from the cup to curl lazily around her face. She let her eyes close peacefully, and let out a pleased sigh. 

“Delicious,” she declared, smiling at Haise, “By the way, Haise, if I remember correctly one :re's employees is engaged to Nishino Kimi, correct?” 

“You're thinking of Nishio Nishiki,” Haise confirmed with a polite nod, “Yes, he works for :re.” 

“Mmm. The Mado squad was planning on checking in with Nishino-san later today,” Akira stated, “We need to gather a statement from her. But it might be a bit overwhelming for her to be questioned by the CCG after only just waking up. She might be more comfortable with familiar faces nearby.” 

Haise opened his mouth to reply, but was cut off when the door suddenly opened with a thud. The Suzuya squad entered the conference room, Juuzo in the lead. The stitched investigator yawned tiredly and rubbed his eyes, but brightened when he saw Haise and the food on the table. 

“Haise~!” Juuzo cheered skipping over to the restaurateur, suddenly twenty times more awake than he had been moments ago, “You came! With breakfast!” 

“Yes, everything's fresh, so please dig in,” Haise said, waving a hand towards the meal. 

“Thanks for the meal!” Juuzo sighed happily as he starting browsing through the pastries. 

“I should probably head back now,” Haise murmured to Hide as the Suzuya squad got settled in, “You're meeting is starting soon, right?” 

Hide raised an eyebrow, “Are you sure you don't want to stay for a little longer? I know Saiko would be sad if she missed seeing you. Shirazu and Mutsuki too.” 

Haise gave his roommate a faint smile, “I'll see them when your squad visits Kimi-san later today. Everyone at :re was planning on visiting her anyway, and since Akira wants us there...” 

“We'll see you this afternoon,” Akira concluded, looking pleased, “Have a good day, Haise.” 

– 

Nishiki was in :re's underground training room, but rather than exercising or sparring, he was fiddling around with various odds and ends, trying to repair the prototype for making synthetic meat. Touka had allowed the older ghoul the use of a table and a bit of space to work on the device, but even she had to admit that the working conditions weren't ideal. But it was all Nishiki had. He certainly couldn't work in Kimi's apartment, not after what had happened there, and his own place was far too small. 

Damn Aogiri. Why did the clumsy idiots break the machine in the first place?! Grumbling quietly to himself, Nishiki attempted to screw in a small component into the inside of the machine. He tried to keep his hands gentle and worked slowly, but— 

_SNAP!_

“Fucking shit!” Nishiki snarled, his patience finally at an end. It was the fifth time he accidentally snapped off a piece of the prototype, leaving him with a mess of twisted metal and pulled wires. There had been a reason why Kimi had been the one to do most of the fine tuning for the first machine—between Nishiki's temper and his ghoulish strength, things got broken fast. 

Really, he had no idea what possessed him to try to mess around with the device. Maybe it was his pride. Or perhaps he wanted to show Kimi something of value when he finally got to see her. She would have liked that, to see the prototype fully functional instead of the mess of broken metal and bent wires it was at the moment. 

Growling angrily, Nishiki tossed the screwdriver he was holding away. It thudded against the wall, chipping the concrete before clattering to the ground. Again Nishiki snarled to himself. He needed that fucking screwdriver. He stood to get it, but before he could walk over to the tool, someone else picked the screwdriver up with an elegant hand. 

“Tsukiyama,” Nishiki hissed, his eyes narrowing when he saw the other ghoul. Tsukiyama merely tipped his head in acknowledgment, saluting lazily with the screwdriver. 

“ _Bonjour._ Having trouble, Nishiki-kun?” Tsukiyama asked, raising a slim eyebrow. 

“Yes, asshole,” Nishiki snapped as he stomped away from the prototype before he broke anything else, “Damn it. Damn it all to hell. That's another fucking paycheck down the drain.” 

“Is there anything I could provide you?” Tsukiyama asked calmly, idly inspecting his nails. Nishiki's eyebrows shot up in surprise before his eyes narrowed in a glower. 

“What's the catch?” the bespectacled ghoul hedged warily. 

“No catch,” Tsukiyama replied honestly, “You forget, your success is my success. The samples you provided to me before from your first machine... _Dolce. Dolce_!” 

Nishiki rolled his eyes and sighed, “You and your food. Well if you want to help—I need more parts. And I could really use a proper lab space. This kind of work is a potential bio-hazard, and using a damn underground dojo as a lab is fucking stupid.” 

“Done!” Tsukiyama declared, clapping his hands. Nishiki couldn't help it; he blinked in surprise. 

“Wait, really?” Nishiki gaped, “I didn't think—wait, don't fucking tell me you just happen to have a lab set up somewhere!” 

“Several,” Tsukiyama replied, shrugging as if it was no big deal, “I think one our buildings in the 8th Ward has a suitable space for you. I can have you set up by tomorrow. Provided, of course, that you will be ready to move in by then.” 

“I...yeah. Yeah, that would be—great,” Nishiki nodded woodenly, still a bit off balance, “I—thanks.” 

Tsukiyama smiled magnanimously, and there was something truly sincere in his expression. Tsukiyama wasn't lying—the synthetic meat experiment was of great interest, and making sure that Nishiki succeeded was a worthy goal. Even so, it was a bit uncomfortable for Nishiki to see Tsukiyama being so helpful. Feeling a bit awkward, Nishiki made a show of checking his watch. 

“I've got to go,” Nishiki said hurriedly, rubbing the back of his neck, “I'm going to go visit Kimi.” 

Tsukiyama nodded, and let Nishiki rush off. 

– 

Maybe it was cliche, but Nishiki brought three apples with him when he went to visit Kimi. All the stupid sappy shojo manga showed humans eating cut apples when sick. He didn't even have to worry about accidentally poisoning her. All he had to do was cut the fruit, which was within his capabilities. He had even made sure to sit down with Sasaki to learn how to cut the fruit into those stereotypical bunny shapes that were in every manga ever. 

The hospital was the same as it was before: far too clean and perfect, the scent of sterility stinging his nose. Nishiki couldn't help but feel like an invader here. Hospitals were so strongly part of the human domain. There was no place for someone like him here. 

Feeling a bit uncomfortable, Nishiki checked in with the receptionist, and then headed up to Kimi's room. He paused right in front of her door, his heart beating a little fast. He opened the door slowly, trying to be quiet just in case she was resting. 

And then he saw her. 

The bed's top section was propped up, allowing Kimi to sit up properly. At the moment her head was turned towards the window, away from him. She idly brushed her hair to tuck it behind her ear, allowing Nishiki a glimpse of her arched neck. 

“Kimi,” her name tumbled out of his lips like falling stones. She turned, a ghost of a smile revealing itself to him. 

“Hello Nishiki,” she murmured, her face soft. She reached for him, and he, like a man possessed, stumbled to her. Their fingers laced together, and Nishiki felt something unknot from his chest. Home. He was home. 

“I thought you would never wake up,” he croaked, his eyes wet as he kept kissing her fingers between his words, “I’m glad you’re alright. When are you going to be released? Touka offered to let you stay in one of the rooms above :re since your place got trashed by Aogiri. I already started moving you in, so you don't have to worry about hauling furniture up the stairs yourself. It’ll be ready for you as soon as the doctors release you.” 

He grinned at her, uncommonly eager. Only the tightening of his fingers around hers revealed his unease. She smiled back at him, her face a touch sad. 

“Nishiki, I…” she bit her lip before taking a deep breath, and starting again, “I—during the attack, something happened. The doctors say my spine…Nishiki, _I can’t feel my legs_.” 

– 

Ayato had a plan. Tatara wanted him to get the research notes from that RC-cell project. Rather than try to barge into Anteiku's headquarters (wherever the fuck that was) and demand the notes, Ayato was going to go directly to the source. 

Nishino Kimi. 

With luck, the human would be able reproduce the notes with minimal fuss and minimal interaction with Anteiku. And then Ayato would be able to go on his merry way. 

It was surprisingly easy to find out where Nishino Kimi was staying. A few questions to the right people, and Ayato had an address to the correct hospital. It had taken a little longer than expected to find the information, but nothing too bad. Ayato decided to keep things simple. He would go to the hospital posing as a visitor. 

That was a common thing, right? It was normal for humans to visit other humans when they were sick or wounded. 

With that in mind, Ayato calmly entered the hospital lobby, and made a bee-line to the front desk. 

“Can I help you?” the receptionist asked, giving Ayato a polite, if slightly vacant, smile. 

Ayato flashed her a confident grin back, “I'm here to visit Nishino Kimi.” 

“Oh and us too!” a feminine voice from behind Ayato chimed in. Startled, Ayato turned around, coming face to face with a blue-haired girl in pigtails. She was wearing a white overcoat, and in her hands, she was clutching a large over-sized silver case. Next to her stood a sharp-toothed young man, who also had a briefcase swinging from his hand. Ayato felt his lip start to curl, before he forcibly schooled his expression. 

Doves. 

“Oh wow!” the blue-haired Dove gasped leaning in close to Ayato as soon as she got a good look of his face. The ghoul leaned back a step, disturbed by her good-natured grin. 

“Your face!” the Dove crowed, pointing at his nose, “You look just like Mama!” 

“M-mama?” Ayato sputtered, the gears in his head stuttering to a halt, “What?” 

“Touka-chan,” the male Dove clarified for his partner, looking a bit bemused, “You guys must be related. I haven't seen you before. Do you work at :re too?” 

Ayato froze up, unsure on how to respond. :re? What the fuck was that? And Mama? To a _Dove?!_ What the fuck had his stupid sister been doing for the past two years? 

“Who the fuck are you?” Ayato blurted out rudely. 

The girl's eyes widened, obviously taken back by his hostility. The other Dove snarled right back at Ayato, clearly not appreciating the ghoul's tone. 

“Hey, you little brat!” the sharp-toothed Dove snapped, fury sparking in his eyes, “Do you know wh—” 

“I know what you are, Investigator,” Ayato sneered, cutting him off, “How the fuck do you know my sister?” 

“Sister?” the girl echoed, her brows furrowing in confusion, “But I thought Mama's only has one brother, Renji-san...” 

Ayato scowled, his irritation rising. Yomo Renji as Touka's brother? And Touka never mentioned Ayato? It almost felt like a slap to the face to hear it. (A small part of himself pointed out the reasoning for Touka's actions. By having an older brother instead of a younger one, Touka's identity was disguised even more. Ayato ignored that logic.) He opened his mouth to yell at the Dove when he heard a faint growl come from the left. 

“Ayato,” a cold voice growled out, anger barely restrained. 

Ayato turned, his irritated scowl unconsciously deepening on his face, “Aneki.” 

Touka was standing a handful of steps away from him dressed in a simple black dress with a gray blazer on top. In her arms was a bouquet of assorted flowers, the riot of color startling against her monochrome outfit. She...she looked fine—healthy, especially considering how she looked the last time he saw her, bleeding from wound he had inflicted on her. 

“What are you doing here, Ayato?” Touka demanded, her eyes narrowed. Her whole body was a tense bowstring, clearly expecting a fight. 

Ayato smirked at her, crossing his arms over his chest, “I'm visiting Nishino-san, obviously.” 

“Is that so?” Touka stated flatly, obviously unconvinced, “How lovely of you to come visit a woman you've never met.” 

The Doves glanced between the two siblings, obviously sensing the high tension between them. Wisely, they both kept silent, and began to edge away. 

“Leave,” Touka ordered, a thread of a threat in her voice. Ayato smirked at her. 

“Why? Are you going to make me, stupid sister?” Ayato scoffed, his whole stance radiating defiance. Touka's scowl deepened, the muscles of her jaw clenching. 

“No, but I might,” a cheery voice informed the pair of ghouls. Ayato snapped his head up to see a blond man dressed in a rumpled suit and trench-coat saunter up next to Touka. While the blond stood with an almost relaxed slouch to his shoulders, the way his fingers curled around his briefcase handle let Ayato know how close the other man was to bursting into action. 

“Papa!” the pig-tailed Dove sighed in relief, obviously recognizing the newcomer. 

Another Dove. Ayato wanted to hurl when he saw his sister give the newest Dove a nod and a smile in greeting. They knew each other. What fucking game was Touka and the rest of Anteiku playing with the CCG?! 

“Hiya,” the new Dove chirped, the bright smile on his face not hiding the razor edge glinting in his eyes, “You must be Ayato-kun.” 

Ayato grit his teeth, feeling his temper spike, “And you are?” 

“Me? Just an ordinary guy,” the Dove laughed before his eyes sobered to something serious, though the smile remained, “Look, I don't want this to blow up into something bigger than it has to be, okay? But you need to calm down, and take a walk outside. You're disturbing the patients.” 

Ayato's fists clenched, his knuckles going white. Who the fuck was this guy?! Ayato wanted to punch that smug grin off the blond's face. 

The Dove continued to smile, seemingly unaffected by the fury radiating from Ayato. Ayato felt his ire rise even further. This fucking human was way too fucking _calm!_

“Don't make a scene,” the blond murmured quietly, low enough that most of the humans around couldn't hear, “It won't just be troublesome for me, but for Touka-chan too.” 

Ayato froze, his spine straightening. He glanced over to his sister, and winced. If they were to fight now, they would probably both reveal themselves as ghouls. That was something neither of them needed, especially with Doves around. Touka stared back at Ayato calmly, waiting for his decision. 

“Fuck this,” Ayato snarled, as he whirled around to stomp towards the exit. 

Such fucking bullshit. 

– 

“That went well,” Hide sighed as soon as Ayato was out of sight. He rubbed a hand through his hair and shared a look with Touka. 

“Thanks,” Touka murmured, glancing away. 

“No problem,” Hide replied, “At least there weren't too many people around...hey, where's Haise?” 

“He's seeing Kimi now with Hinami,” Touka replied, “We didn't want to overwhelm her, so we're heading into her room a few at a time.” 

“That's probably for the best,” Hide laughed. He opened his mouth to say something else, but a soft tug on his sleeve stopped him. He looked over to see both Saiko and Shirazu had scooted over closer to them, worried frowns on their faces. 

“Mama, Papa...who was that?” Saiko asked, her brows furrowed. 

“My little brother,” Touka snorted, “Don't pay attention to him. He's an idiot.” 

“He was a rude shit, that's what he was,” Shirazu huffed, glaring at the exit Ayato had disappeared through, “His attitude was fucking grating. I can't believe you're related to an ass like that.” 

“Yeah, which is why you shouldn't pay attention to that brat,” Touka shrugged casually, though there was something troubled and sad on her face, “I don't.” 

Saiko looked unconvinced, “But...” 

Touka gave her a strained smile, “Don't worry about it, Saiko.” 

Reluctantly, Saiko let the subject drop. 

– 

Sometime later that evening, Anteiku gathered for a meeting at :re. The blinds were pulled down, the sign was flipped to “Closed” but the cafe was far from empty. All of :re's staff, Banjou and his three cohorts, as well as Tsukiyama, Hori, and Kanae, Tsukiyama's loyal servant, were in attendance. Liberal amounts of coffee was being passed around, the warm scent of freshly ground beans filling the air. 

“So, any news from the CCG about Aogiri?” Touka asked Hide as everyone got settled in. 

Hide shrugged helplessly, “You guys know probably as much as I do. I don't have complete access to the files on Aogiri's case because I'm not assigned to it. All I got is office rumors, and I bet Kaneki gets plenty of that from Arima during their book club meetings.” 

“Eh, not really,” the half-ghoul replied, looking apologetic, “Arima actually doesn't talk all that much, and he never talks about work. He does like listening to poetry though.” 

“Ugh, I thought you had something useful,” Touka grumbled, running pale fingers through her hair, “Damn it. I feel like we're behind.” 

“We _are_ behind,” Kaneki sighed, looking down, “We're stuck in between two organizations that vastly outgun us in every single way. On one side, we have Aogiri. On the other, we have the CCG. All in all, it's not a good situation. The only thing we have going for us is that neither the CCG nor Aogiri knows all that much about us. That and we've got an inside man in the CCG.” 

“Aogiri is also being extra aggressive lately,” Hori pointed out, “I think they're planning something big.” 

“Against us?” Touka asked sharply. 

“Yes and no,” Hori shrugged. At the bewildered looks that were sent her way, Hori looked over to Hide to expand on her comment further. 

“They've got a bigger plan than just bothering us,” Hide explained, “We're just a road block to their overarching goal—an annoyance, but a persistent one. They want to crush us quickly so they can get back to their real objective.” 

“Any idea what it is their plan really is?” Kaneki asked. 

Heads shook; negative. 

“Too bad we don't have an inside man in Aogiri,” Hide sighed melodramatically, “That would be really useful. Actually, any new information on them would be great right now.” 

“We need to interrogate someone from Aogiri,” Kaneki stated calmly, absentmindedly cracking a finger, “Not one of their foot soldiers. We need someone with a decent amount of information.” 

“Who?” Hide frowned, “And where the hell are we supposed to find a member of Aogiri, let alone one that has decent information? We don't know where their base is.” 

“Yeah, what are we supposed to do, wander around the 24th Ward beating up ghouls until we find an Aogiri executive?” Touka snorted, rolling her eyes. The look Kaneki gave her said it all. 

Touka gaped at him for a moment before her temper flared. 

“No!” Touka spat, glaring at the half-ghoul in irritation, “That's a stupid plan. We have better things to do than traumatize random people!” 

“Then what do you suggest?” Kaneki sighed, deflating a bit. 

Touka sighed and ran her fingers through her hair, “I don't know. Damn it! I don't know! I just know we can't just wait for them to come to us—that's an even dumber idea than rampaging around the 24th Ward.” 

“Agreed,” Kaneki nodded curtly. 

“This is fucking awful,” Touka groaned, slumping a bit, “Next time, let's not piss off a massive organization, okay? It's bad for business.” 

“Speaking of Aogiri,” Hide murmured thoughtfully, “Ayato was at the hospital today. He was trying to see Kimi.” 

“He was _what?!_ ” Nishiki roared, his face contorting with protective fury, “Fuck! Ayato better keep his fucking hands away from Kimi or I'll—” 

“ _I'll_ deal with Ayato, thanks,” Touka said coldly, cutting off Nishiki. 

“I doubt he'll come back to the hospital now, anyway,” Hide reasoned, waving a placating hand at Nishiki, “My squad was there when he came in. Ayato now knows that the hospital is frequented by both Anteiku and the CCG. He'll stay away, if he's smart.” 

“He fucking better!” Nishiki snapped as he slowly calmed down. He continued to scowl, his lips pulled down in an angry grimace and his arms crossed over his chest. 

“Look,” Hide sighed, “We can't fight both the CCG and Aogiri at the same time. We weren't supposed to fight either in the first place.” 

Nishiki frowned, looking uncomfortable, “I'm sorry about that, okay?” 

Touka snorted, irritation and concern spreading across her features, “Nobody was blaming you, shitty Nishiki. Shit happens. We'll deal with it. It's not a big deal.” 

Nishiki's lips thinned, obviously unconvinced. Touka rolled her eyes, and punched the older ghoul in the shoulder. 

“Idiot,” Touka groused, “Don't beat yourself up about stupid shit.” 

_CRACK!_ Nishiki exploded. He stood up angrily, slamming his hands on the table. The thick wood cracked from the force of his blow, startling more than one person. 

“We're in a shitty situation, or did you not notice?” Nishiki hissed, glaring as he waved an encompassing hand around, “We've got Aogiri on one side and the CCG on the other! What the hell are we supposed to do?!” 

“I can keep the CCG off our backs a little bit, but it's not going to be easy or last forever,” Hide frowned, crossing his arms, “The CCG will keep coming after us, especially after Ayato opened his big mouth in front of Akira. They think we've got a One-Eyed Ghoul—they're right, but we need to do everything we can so they can't confirm it.” 

“Even if we do hide Kaneki's existence from the CCG, there's still the small matter of that they're not going to leave us the fuck alone!” Nishiki snarled, gesturing violently. 

“Then, what do we do?' Hinami asked, wringing her hands worriedly. 

“Hey, Hide,” Kaneki began, a thoughtful expression on his face, “I know the CCG never closes a case until the ghoul is captured or killed, but what about cold cases?” 

Everyone in the room blinked at Kaneki collectively. 

“Eh?” 

“I just remembered something I read in the CCG handbooks,” Kaneki continued, “If a ghoul isn't seen for some time, their case goes inactive. The CCG will stop actively pursuing the target until they make another appearance.” 

“Yeah, that's what happened with Hinami's case,” Hide confirmed, flashing said teenager a small smile, “The CCG hasn't heard from her in ages, so the case went cold.” 

“Do you really think we can do that?” Touka asked, looking a bit skeptical, “If we stay off the grid long enough—” 

“It'll be hard,” Hide cut in, “It's possible, but it'll be really hard. It takes longer for cases involving groups to go cold. Not to mention, if highly rated ghouls are involved, the case stays active longer.” 

“But it is possible,” Kaneki stressed. 

Hide paused, hesitating, before finally nodding, “Yeah, it's possible. But it means we're going to have to fly under the radar for months. Maybe years.” 

“We were doing that anyway,” Touka pointed out, “We were pretty low-key before.” 

“Ah, but _mon petite lapin_ , Aogiri was not at our throats then,” Tsukiyama pointed out, waving an elegant hand, “Do recall that they have been quite _vigorous_ with their intimidation tactics as of late. They are quite intent on a confrontation. It will only be a matter of time before their antics brings the Doves' attention.” 

“So we deal with Aogiri first,” Touka stated bluntly. 

“Oh yes, we only have to deal with the biggest ghoul organization in Tokyo,” Nishiki gripped, “And all those shitty bastards are crazy as fuck.” 

“Aogiri massively outnumbers us,” Hide murmured, his eyes distant as his mind whirled with possibilities, “We can't engage with them one on one.” 

“Guerrilla tactics?” Banjou offered, though he looked a bit uncomfortable when he said it. 

Hide shook his head, “No. I have a better idea. But I doubt everyone would like it.” 

“What is it?” Hinami asked curiously, tilting her head. 

Hide licked his lips before answering, obviously hesitant. 

“We...we need to make peace with Aogiri.” 

Hide knew that the second he had suggested that they make peace with Aogiri, he would face opposition. 

He had underestimated how much opposition. 

“Hide—what are you...” 

“Are you fucking crazy?!” 

Hide winced as multiple people began yelling at once. 

“Are you saying you want us to team up with fucking Aogiri?!” Nishiki roared, his kakugan blazing to life as he grabbed the front of Hide's coat. 

“Nishiki!” Touka snarled in warning, her own eyes shifting to brilliant red on black. Hide held up placating hands, trying not to panic. 

“No! Fuck no!” Hide protested quickly, “Why would I ever want that?!” 

“Then you better start talking now!” Nishiki yelled, violence threatening to burst from him and onto the human in his grasp, “You shitty bastard, I ought to—hrk!” 

Nishiki dropped Hide with a gasp as a red scaled kagune wrapped around his throat like a macabre necklace and began to squeeze slightly. It wasn't enough to cut off Nishiki's breathing, or even damage him in the slightest, but the threat was clear. Wheezing, Nishiki's hands went to grasp futilely at the tendril around his throat, and his widened eyes rolled over to meet mismatched orbs. Kaneki had been quick to act—no one had even noticed when the half-ghoul pulled out his kagune, let alone when the rinkaku fastened itself around Nishiki's neck. 

“Kaneki!” Touka shouted, quickly realizing that the situation was deteriorating fast. Kaneki ignored her, his face void of emotion as he continued to stare at Nishiki. 

“Let's all calm down, yes?” Kaneki offered in a quiet, far too steady voice, “I'm going to let go. Do you think you can behave yourself, Nishio-sempai?” 

Nishiki nodded curtly, or at least as much as the kagune around his neck would allow. Slowly, Kaneki slid his kagune away, the eerie blood-hued tentacles curling passively towards the floor. After a few moments, he let the kagune dissipate away. Even with the hunting organ out of sight, the tension in the room only escalated as the half-ghoul turned impassive eyes towards Hide. 

“Hide,” Kaneki murmured, his voice carrying through the room, despite how low he pitched it. Hide winced. He knew Kaneki far too well not to know when his friend was angry—seething really. 

“Yes?” the human replied, infinitely proud with how normal he sounded. 

The half-breed gave Hide a hard stare. 

“Talk fast.” 

Hide sighed, trying to let the tension drain away, “Look, I don't want to team up with them, but they need to leave us the fuck alone. We need to get a ceasefire with them. And that means being diplomatic, and not stabbing every Aogiri member we see in the face.” 

“And how, pray tell, do you suggest we do that, hmmm?” Tsukiyama drawled, “Aogiri seems to be very interested in provoking us.” 

“Wrong,” Hide countered, stabbing his finger down to emphasize his words, “They're interested in the RC-cell research Kimi did, not Anteiku as a whole. I don't think they would give a damn about us if it weren't for the fact that we have the notes!” 

“What are you implying?” Touka asked sharply. 

“Aogiri has better things to do than play with us,” Hide pointed out calmly, “At this time, fighting us is a drain on their resources. They're not looking into expanding into our territory—the 20th Ward doesn't have any strategic value for them. It's all about the research! If we give them an incomplete copy of the notes, they'll probably be satisfied, and leave us alone.” 

“You're fucking out of your mind, Nagachika,” Nishiki sneered, “We'll have a better chance making peace with the CCG than fucking Aogiri! At least we're friendly with the CCG in our civilian lives.” 

Hide let out a bitter laugh at that, “Wrong. :re's friendly with the CCG, not Anteiku. The CCG...look, I work there. I know how the average investigator thinks. They'll never work with ghouls. Aogiri though? They've made peace with rival gangs in the past. Look at Three Blades. Her gang used to be at war with the Bin brothers. Now, she's an Aogiri executive.” 

“Is it even _wise_ to give them the research?” Hinami asked worriedly. 

“Which is why I said give them a set of incomplete notes,” Hide shrugged, “It's not inconceivable that part of the notes would have been destroyed. We can even add in some false information. That will put Kanou's research back even more.” 

There was a moment of silence as everyone digested Hide's argument. Even so, Hide could tell that no one was really fully sold on the idea. 

“Look, we _can't_ fight a two pronged war!” Hide stressed, smacking his palm against the table for emphasis, “Hell, we shouldn't be fighting either the CCG or Aogiri in the first place! They're too powerful! This situation—it's not sustainable. We're on thin ice, and the only way to survive is to make peace with our enemies!” 

“They'll never agree,” Kaneki scoffed, looking utterly bitter and so unlike cheery Haise it was startling, “Aogiri doesn't know the meaning of peace.” 

“So? There's no harm in fucking trying!” Hide burst out, pounding his fist on the table, “We can ask Itori to help us set up a meeting—have a third party as a go-between. If they don't wanna talk, we don't have to go. Worst case scenario, they don't want to talk. Best case? They leave us the hell alone!” 

“They could lead us to a trap,” Banjou pointed out quietly. 

“If we're the one's initiating the talks, then we have more control,” Hide countered, “If anything, they have to be worried about traps from _us._ ” 

There was a moment of silence before it was suddenly broken by bitter laughter. Nishiki shook his head, letting his cynical snickers die down. 

“Shit,” Nishiki muttered, a sardonic smile etched on his face, “For all that you're smart, you're really fucking dumb, Nagachika. That will never work.” 

And with that, the bespectacled ghoul stood, and began to head towards the exit. 

“Nishiki!” Touka tried to protest. The older ghoul ignored her, and walked out the door without another word. 

“Damn it,” Hide muttered, running a hand through his hair. Feeling a bit sympathetic to the human, Touka patted him on the shoulder. 

“Don't stress out too much, Hide,” Touka soothed. Hide nodded at her, and started to relax. Meanwhile, Kaneki looked on, a faint frown beginning to appear on his face. 

“Nishio-sempai is right,” Kaneki said quietly, startling both his roommates. 

“But, Kaneki!” Hide protested, “This is—” 

“Not going to work,” Kaneki cut off the blond, his mouth set in a tight line, “I'm sorry, Hide, but you're chasing after a fool's errand.” 

And then, he too stood and walked out, his spine a rigid line and his footsteps even. Hide watched his oldest friend go, and tried not feel bitter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If I remember correctly, Aogiri's symbol is a bird in flight. Almost all of their foot soldiers wear cloaks with it sewn on the back. 
> 
> Back when Hide was studying for the CCG's exams, Kaneki was his study buddy. While Hide did pass his exams with high marks, Kaneki actually knows the material better.
> 
> Last chapter I said I was going to be better at replying to comments, but I ended up still being terrible at it. Still, I am amazed by everyone's support. Thank you all so much :)


	14. Emotion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Yes!” Kaneki vowed, his tears continuing to flow, “If it comes to it, yes, anything...anything will do!”

Hide cursed himself. He was the king of idiots. 

After Kaneki had walked out on the disastrous meeting at :re, the rest of the attendees had quickly headed out and gone home, until only Hide and Touka were left. Hide had barely noticed everyone leave, too busy stewing in his own disappointment. Stupid, stupid idiot. Hide _knew_ how little support he would have gotten for his plan. He _knew._ Aogiri had left far too many unhealed wounds. 

The look on Kaneki's face...Under that icy mask of anger, Kaneki had looked so _betrayed._ Hide cursed himself again for his thoughtlessness. 

No one besides Kaneki would ever know the full extent of what he had suffered under Yamori's “hospitality.” But, the scars were plain to see. Even as the physical effects faded (dark nails clearing and pale hair growing black roots) there was always something a little _shattered_ in Kaneki's eyes now. 

Hide had prodded at those half-healed wounds carelessly, recklessly. Hide had _known_ how badly Kaneki would react to the idea of making peace with Aogiri. He had _known,_ and had done it anyway. 

“I'm a moron,” Hide groaned, burying his head in his arms. 

“You shouldn't beat yourself up so badly,” Touka soothed, rubbing his back for what seemed to be the hundredth time that night, “You didn't know—” 

“Yes, I did!” Hide groaned, his hands carding through his hair, “Fuck. I knew this would happen! I should have kept my mouth shut!” 

“You made some good points,” Touka countered, still keeping her voice calm and soothing, “Your idea was good.” 

“My idea was a _disaster!_ ” Hide grit out, “Fuck. Kaneki must hate me now.” 

Touka looked startled, her eyes far too wide on her suddenly pale face. 

“Kaneki...Kaneki doesn't hate you!” 

Hide smiled wanly at her, all tight lips and shadowed eyes. It was an easy thing for Touka to say, but—she would never be able to know for certain. 

“I—I think I need a bit of fresh air. I'll take a quick walk,” Hide informed her, stuffing his hands in his pockets, “Head home without me. I'll catch up.” 

A flash of hurt flickered across Touka's face. He wasn't paying attention. He was shutting down, and shutting her out. 

“Hide...” 

“See you later, Touka-chan,” Hide murmured, waving at her breezily as he slipped out the door. Instinctively, she stood to follow him, but a firm hand on her elbow stopped her. 

“Let him go,” Yomo's calm voice ordered. Touka turned to her “brother”, blinking in surprise. When had he—Oh right, Yomo lived in one of the rooms above :re. He probably heard them arguing. 

“But, Hide needs me,” Touka protested. 

“What he needs is time to think,” Yomo countered firmly, “Touka, give him space.” 

She glanced back at the door, and then again at Yomo. The older ghoul's face remained impassive as always. 

Touka deflated with a soft sigh, “Alright.” 

Touka looked back towards the exit, and told herself that she trusted Hide. He would come back. Both of her boys would, she was sure of it. 

Unbeknownst to her, Nagachika Hideyoshi, Rank 1 Investigator of the CCG and spy for Anteiku, had just done the stupidest thing in the world. 

He ran away from home. 

– 

Akira was at her small apartment, preparing to head to bed. It was late, and while it was the weekend, there were still things to do in the morning. The CCG never completely closed down. After all, ghoul activity didn't disappear just because the humans were taking a break. While most CCG agents took the weekends off, a rotating group of volunteers continued to staff the main office on Saturday and Sunday. More often than not, Akira was part of the volunteer staff. 

Some distant part of Akira wondered when she had become such a workaholic. Another part of her (cold and a little heartless) sneered that she had always been so—Mado Akira, the perfect investigator, always working because she didn't know what else to do with her life. She didn't know how to live because so many around her had died. 

Her parents. Amon. Takizawa. She missed them so much. 

_'Not everyone I know is dead,'_ Akira protested to herself, _'My squad. The people at :re. I have friends—and I work hard as a ghoul investigator so that I can protect them.'_

An investigator's duty was to protect lives. That was her conviction. 

Akira frowned when she noticed the clock. She had already stayed up later than expected. It wasn't too terrible, and she'd only be a little tired at the office. Besides, work on the weekends wasn't nearly as grueling as the rest of the week. Still, the bed was calling. Just as she finished brushing her teeth, she heard someone rapping their knuckles against her door. 

_Knock knock!_

Akira frowned. She wasn't expecting anyone this late. Assuming that it must be something important, she opened the door, not bothering to hide her irritation. 

On the other side was Nagachika Hideyoshi, her cheerful vice-captain. Or perhaps not so cheerful. There was a distinct sense of gloom about him before he looked up at her, and quickly pasted on a wide smile. 

“Hey, Mom,” Hide waved, grinning cheekily at her. 

“Mom who?” Akira groused, almost tempted to shut the door in her vice-captain's face. Instead she rolled her eyes, and opened her door a little wider to let him inside. His unusual behavior was enough to pique Akira's curiosity. Hide didn't normally bother her, let alone this late at night. He slipped into her apartment and took off his shoes, pausing briefly to give Maris Stella a quick scratch behind the ears. 

“It's late, Nagachika,” Akira grumbled, pretending to be more irritated than she really was, “What are you doing here?” 

He grinned at her again, the expression far too bright and forced. Akira's brief irritation melted away into genuine worry. Hide really was acting odd. 

“It's nothing, really,” Hide assured her, able to read her concern despite the stoic look that remained on her face. Akira's frown deepened in disapproval. She hated when it she was lied to. 

“Is that so?” she said neutrally. After another minute of her staring him down, Hide sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. 

“I didn't know where else to go,” he shrugged looking around at everything and anything, except Akira. She continued to stare at him, her whole expression flat. She waited patiently as he began to squirm, fidgeting with his coat lapels. 

“You did something stupid, didn't you?” Akira guessed. 

“The stupidest,” he agreed, nodding vigorously. 

“I don't have time to deal with this,” Akira groaned in frustration, rubbing her forehead, “It's almost midnight. Take the couch, and don't complain about the cat hair.” 

“Got it, Mom!” Hide saluted lazily, quickly turning back to his cheery self or at least a mask of it. 

“Mom who?” she grumbled, fixing him with a dead-eyed stare, “And Hide?” 

He looked up at her, startled. Akira was always a paragon of formality. She almost never called him by his given name, even though she had permission to do so. 

“Yeah, Mo—er, Boss?” 

“No slipping out through the balcony before breakfast,” she ordered him sternly, “We're talking about this in the morning.” 

Hide's shoulders slumped in defeat. 

“Yes, ma'am.” 

– 

Touka's boys were idiots, both of them. 

After the meeting at Anteiku, neither Hide nor Kaneki went back to their apartment, leaving Touka home alone. She recognized what they were doing, the idiots. Instead of talking things over, like _adults,_ they were avoiding each other. Touka sighed, blowing her bangs from her face. 

Idiots, both of them. And she too was an idiot. She should have stopped both of them when she had the chance, Yomo's advice be damned. 

In the meantime, Touka hoped Hide and Kaneki would see _sense_ and come home. She tried not to worry. They were grown adults, capable of defending themselves. Still, a call or text would have been nice. By now it was past midnight, and heading into early morning. Touka glanced at the clock, sighing when she saw it read 2:12. She was starting to lose hope that either one of them would show up. 

It...wouldn't be the first time someone had left her. It seemed like she was always being left behind. Quickly, she shook her head to dispel the gloom that threatened to overtake her. The past was the past. She had faith that her idiots would come home. 

Faith...it was such a fragile thing, wasn't it? 

Just as she was about to head to bed, she heard the door creak open. Her heart leaped to her throat. 

“Welcome home,” she called out. There was a pause, and then a small sigh. 

“I thought you would be asleep,” Kaneki's voice replied. Touka turned around to face her roommate. 

“Not yet,” she smiled, hoping the expression didn't look too tight, “Sit down. I'll make you a cup of coffee.” 

“Yes, ma'am,” he nodded woodenly as he slid into his customary place at the kitchen table. Wordlessly, she went into the kitchen and started heating up some water. The pair of them let tense silence fill the apartment until Touka took her own seat at the table, and placed down two mugs. 

“So, do you want to talk about it?” she asked casually as she took a sip from her beverage. 

“...No,” was his soft reply, his eyes trained downward, not meeting her gaze. 

“That's...that's fine,” she shrugged, again aiming for casual, but unsure if she had achieved it. Her roommates were much better actors and peacekeepers than her. 

Still, some of the tension drained from Kaneki's shoulders, and he took a deep pull from his coffee, looking almost content. 

“Is Hide back?” Kaneki asked quietly, unable to disguise his worry. 

“No,” Touka shook her head, “Though, he's too smart to be wandering alone this late at night. I suspect he's with his squad.” 

“Ah,” Kaneki murmured, nodding mechanically, “That's...that's a good point.” 

Awkward silence stretched between them again as they drank their coffee. Touka hated it. She wanted to reach across the table, and pinch Kaneki's cheeks until he started talking. It wasn't good for him to bottle everything up inside. But it also wasn't very good to force him either. She had learned that the hard way. 

Touka could wait. Touka could be patient, even if she didn't want to. She stared at him, waiting, letting her eyes bore into him. 

_'I'm here,'_ she wanted to say, _'You can talk to me.'_

A younger, more brash, version of herself wanted to scream at him. She wanted to call him an idiot, and punch him in the face. But she had done that once, and it had been a mistake. 

Yomo had cautioned her against pushing too hard—he had said to give her boys some space. Besides, Kaneki was an adult. He could make his own decisions, choose his own path. She just had to have faith. 

_'Have faith. You won't be left behind again.'_

Finally, her patience was rewarded. 

“You want to call a cease fire with Aogiri too, don't you?” Kaneki sighed. There was no accusation in his voice, nor anger—just a bone-deep weariness. 

“Part of me does,” Touka admitted, tracing the rim of her mug with her finger, “Perhaps it's selfishness on my part, but—” 

“You don't want to fight Ayato,” Kaneki concluded. Touka paused, her fingers clenching briefly around her mug, before she sighed and nodded. 

“He's my brother,” Touka murmured, her eyes distant, “I can't—I'm tired of it. Of fighting him. I don't know if he feels the same, but for me...I'm done. He's my family. I don't want to fight him. But beyond that...I don't want to fight Aogiri because why the hell would I want to destroy everything that we've built these past two years? Fighting Aogiri raises our chances of being discovered.” 

There was a beat of silence, before Touka continued, “But that doesn't mean I want to make peace with them either.” 

Kaneki looked up at her, startled. Touka looked back at him, her eyes haunted with memories. The fracturing of her family, Yoshimura's death, Kaneki's torture...there were plenty of things she would never forgive Aogiri for. She understood all too well why Kaneki didn't want to play nice with Aogiri Tree. 

She bowed her head, letting the silence stretch between them again. The half-ghoul hadn't said anything in response to her, but he hadn't walked away yet. The fact that he had stayed...buoyed Touka's heart, just a little. After a moment longer, he looked up at her, hesitantly, odd shadows cast across his face. 

“Do you think...do you think Hide hates me now?” he asked plaintively. 

“...You really are both morons,” Touka groaned, rubbing her temples, “No, he doesn't hate you. He thinks _you_ hate _him._ ” 

Kaneki head whipped up, his face gray with shock, “What? I don't hate him! I could _never_ hate him! He's my best friend!” 

Touka snorted, and rolled her eyes. Fuck being patient. Her boys were idiots. 

“See, this is the problem with both of you,” Touka growled, prodding Kaneki's chest with an accusing finger, “Both you and Hide are the same. You think, but you don't really _think._ You get so caught up in trying to do what's _'best'_ for everyone else, that you don't see what's right in front of you. You both spend so much time scheming that when something doesn't go according to plan you start beating yourselves up. You're selfish self-sacrificing idiots that automatically think that everything is your fault. Idiots. Both of you are idiots.” 

“I—I'm sorry,” Kaneki apologized, shamefaced. 

“Ugh!” Touka groaned, slapping a hand over her eyes, “No, don't be sorry. That's the point. No one is really at fault. There's nothing to be sorry for.” 

Kaneki looked down, his voice small and quiet, “I'm being unfair to you—and Hide as well.” 

Touka felt like kicking herself. The last thing she wanted was for Kaneki to start feeling guilty. She took a deep breath, and softened her approach. She tilted her head in an effort to catch his gaze, and gave him a small smile when their eyes met. 

“No. You're not,” she murmured, “You've done nothing wrong. Do you hear me? Nothing.” 

“But—” 

“But nothing,” Touka countered, her tone firm but gentle, “It's alright to disagree with us. And...it's normal for you to hate Aogiri and Kanou. You're not—you're not some fucking doll, Kaneki! You're allowed to be angry. Hell, _I'm_ angry at Aogiri! Their whole philosophy fucking wrong. And...and I refuse to let Aogiri get between us! You and Hide are too _important_ to me to let some differences in opinion divide the three of us.” 

He blinked up at her, surprised. Touka sighed, and put a kind hand on his shoulder, and squeezed once, delicate as if he was something fragile that could break at any moment. She breathed out, attempting to calm herself. 

“Kaneki,” she began gently, “What do you want?” 

He blinked at her again, his throat suddenly tight. 

“What do I want?” he murmured, something old and rotten stirring in his heart. He could almost hear his own voice murmuring in his ears. It was a child's voice, quivery, hesitant, and still his own. 

_'Want? It's a mistake to want something, remember?'_

Kaneki looked away from her, uncomfortable with the openness in her gaze. Touka, in the meantime, squeezed his shoulder again, a soft smile on her face, “What do you want, Kaneki?” 

Kaneki's tongue felt thick in his mouth, the words that he wanted to say stuck in his throat like a heavy knot. He licked his lips, his whole expression lost. What he wanted was... 

_'Touka, Hide—I just want to stay with them!'_

He couldn't say it out loud. The words just would not pass through his lips. Fear held him, a perfect trap. Touka waited, but after a few false starts that had him choking on unformed words, she took a bit of pity on him. 

“I'll tell you what I want,” she whispered, like they were children and she was imparting onto him a great secret, “I want to open :re tomorrow, and greet customers. I want to make delicious coffee. I want to work hard and do well. And at the end of the day, I want to eat dinner together with you and Hide. I want to live. I want to live with you and Hide.” 

“I see,” Kaneki replied, looking down at the floor again, “...I see.” 

Touka wasn't sure if he did. Her heart ached. 

“We should talk it over with Hide on what to do with Aogiri,” Touka murmured, trying to mask her lingering concern, “I'd like to think that all three of us know each other well enough and care for each other enough that we can work something out. But you have to remember, just because we don't agree, it doesn't mean you matter less to either me or Hide. You're important to us.” 

“You're important to me too,” Kaneki admitted shyly. 

Touka smiled, “Good. Then let's all stop avoiding each other, okay? Oh and Kaneki?” 

“Yes?” 

“I'm...I'm glad you came back.” 

– 

Nightmares were a relatively common occurrence for Kaneki. It didn't take much for his mind to conjure up horrors to play behind his eyelids. He was chained to a chair, the bite of the steel around his limbs as familiar as the neat black and white tile splashed with vivid red. There was viscera splattered across the floor, the mess grotesque and alluring. It smelled of ghouls, rot, and power, and he _wantwant **wanted**_ it, even as his salivating mouth opened and shaped the word “no”. 

Someone sauntered in front of Kaneki, crouching down so that they were eye level. It was a familiar figure that stood before him. The kakuja armor the figure wore clattered as it knelt, and a bloody mouth grinned at Kaneki, half-hidden by a long mask. 

_“Why not eat ghouls?”_ Centipede asked himself, his voice warped and crazed, hunger laced in each word, _“If you eat, you'll be strong. Strength is everything. You'll need it to fight Aogiri.”_

“No,” Kaneki protested, wanting to look away, but unable to do so, “That sort of power...is dangerous.” 

_“As dangerous as Aogiri?!”_ he hissed back, furious. Chitinous kagune whipped about, the strong appendages gouging the floor and leaving scars. 

_“Don't you want to fight them? Don't you want to stop them?”_ he snarled at himself, almost accusing. 

“I do!” Kaneki snapped, fire burning in his gut. The kakuja laughed, triumphant and mad, glee spilling from his mouth, even as sorrow shook his frame. 

Suddenly, there were gentle hands grasping at his shoulders, and a warm body pressed against Kaneki's back where the chair's backrest had previously been. It was an unseen hug, gentle and firm, but Kaneki went rigid in the embrace, his heart beating furiously. 

_“Are we sure about that?”_ Haise asked himself, his voice quiet and thoughtful from behind Kaneki, _“Hide was right. We can't fight them.”_

_“You can!”_ the kakuja argued, teeth snapping a hair's breath from Kaneki's face, _“If you—”_

_“—make sacrifices we're not willing to make, we can fight,”_ Haise finished for himself, _“Is that what we want? Touka said it, didn't she? We'll destroy everything. Our home. Our friends. Even :re will fall. It'll be just like Anteiku. Gone.”_

“No!” Kaneki sobbed, struggling against his bonds, “No, no, _no! Never!_ I won't let that happen! I won't loose my home again! Never again! I'll stop anyone who threatens it!” 

_“Will you resort to any measure?”_ the kakuja demanded, ruined dark-nailed hands coming up to stroke Kaneki's face. 

“Yes!” Kaneki vowed, his tears continuing to flow, “If it comes to it, yes, anything...anything will do!” 

_“Even peace?”_ Haise asked quietly. 

– 

Normally, Touka woke up before her roommates. Today, when she entered the kitchen to start the coffee, Kaneki had beaten her. A pot of coffee was already prepared, and her favorite mug was on the counter, ready for her. Kaneki himself was already at the kitchen table, phone in hand, scrolling through his messages with a pitiful look on his face. 

“Hide's not home yet,” Kaneki murmured gloomily as soon as she sat down next to him. When he looked at her, there were dark circles beneath his eyes, and she wondered if he had slept at all. 

“Relax,” Touka soothed, “He's fine.” 

Kaneki flashed her a wry smile, “See, this is why I say you're stronger than me. Your conviction is amazing.” 

“Don't tease,” she snorted, though there was no bite in her voice, “I'm just me. And besides, you know Hide better than anyone. Don't you trust him?” 

“With my life,” Kaneki replied without hesitation. 

“There you go,” Touka shrugged, deceptively relaxed, “It's easy to believe that he's fine because I trust in him. He wouldn't have done anything stupid.” 

“But...” Kaneki began, worrying his lip with his teeth, “But, what if he's ang—” 

“If you say he's angry at you, I'll hide all your books,” Touka huffed tartly, “He's not angry at you. _I'm_ not angry at you, before you even ask.” 

Kaneki still didn't look convinced, “Are you—” 

“ _Yes,_ I'm sure,” Touka stressed, trying to drive the point home, “Now, hurry up. We're opening :re today. Drink your coffee, and get ready.” 

Kaneki looked up at her, still uneasy, “But what if Hide comes home? Shouldn't one of us stay here, or at least call to make sure he's alright?” 

“Maybe,” Touka conceded, “But Hide's smart, right?” 

“Of course,” he answered promptly. 

“He knows our schedule. If he wants to find us, he'll come to :re,” Touka reasoned, “He'll come to us.” 

“But,” Kaneki began hesitantly, “What if he doesn't come?” 

“Then we'll wait,” Touka replied, “He'll come. I'm sure of it.” 

– 

Akira woke up when her ears picked up a small crash in her living room, followed by her cat yowling and the panicked voice of a young man in her living room. It took her a few seconds to recall that Hide had stayed the night, and was heartened that he hadn't tried to escape through the window while she slept. 

Her good cheer was a bit ruined when she entered her living room. Hide was lying on his back, a disgruntled look on his face. The younger investigator was halfway out her balcony doors with a CCG standard issue grappling hook in hand. Maris Stella sat perched on his chest, her gray fur fluffed out. Both cat and owner fixed Hide with twin disapproving stares. 

“I see that Maris Stella stopped you from doing something truly idiotic,” Akira drawled, eyeing her vice-captain up and down, “I hope you weren't planning on breaking your promise and leaving before you explained yourself.” 

Hide laughed nervously, “O—of course not, Akira! I was just getting some air.” 

“Good,” she muttered icily, “Get up. We'll go to :re for breakfast.” 

Hide flinched noticeably, “Ah, that might not be the best idea.” 

Akira's eyebrows rose. Hide always made excuses to go to :re. 

“Do you want to talk about it?” she asked, keeping her tone bland. 

“There's nothing to talk about, I'm fine,” her vice-captain insisted, flashing her a sunny smile. She might have believed him if he hadn't been such a wreck last night. Akira pursed her lips, but tapped down on her curiosity. It wasn't her place to force the truth out of him, and she knew better than to prod at a delicate issue. 

Besides, it was simple enough to guess the broad outline of what had happened. Something had gone badly at home, and Nagachika was making a mess of himself for very little reason. Akira knew both Touka and Haise well enough—either one would forgive Hide no matter the offense. 

It astounded her sometimes to see Hide act so foolishly when he was so brilliant. Well, he _did_ tend to go to extremes when Haise or Touka were concerned. It wasn't exactly a secret that Hide's weak spot was his roommates. He loved them dearly, and it showed. 

“I hope you realize that you're making this much harder for yourself than it has to be,” Akira lectured. Hide's gaze dropped, and he looked almost sheepish. 

“Probably,” he agreed, rubbing the back of his head. 

“I'll ask you again: do you want to go to :re for breakfast?” Akira sighed. Hide stayed silent. 

“Look,” Akira huffed, crossing her arms, “You are a mess, and I'm not about to leave you alone. You can either be a mess at :re or you can be a mess at the office. Your choice.” 

Hide flinched again, “Alright, alright, we'll go to :re. But you're paying for my coffee!” 

– 

Akira wasn't lying; Hide looked like a wreck. His rumpled appearance was only highlighted further by her own neat appearance next to him. His blond hair was more disheveled than usual, sticking out in wild spikes, and there were dark bags under his eyes. His clothes were terribly wrinkled as a result of sleeping in them. At least he hadn't been wearing his work attire. A suit would have been terrible to sleep in. 

As they walked to :re, Akira took the time to observe her subordinate. It was rare to see Hide so off-kilter. Most of the time, it seemed like nothing could bother him. Hide could shrug anything off with a grin; that was part of the reason why he made such a good investigator. The ability to bounce back and remain upbeat, no matter how horrible the job got, was incredibly valuable. 

As he was right now, Hide was distracted and hesitant, traits that would easily get him killed on the field. Whatever his home troubles were, he was certainly working himself up quite a bit—more so than necessary. But that was just Akira's opinion. Ah well, whatever his issues were, it wasn't her place to pry into them. 

It _was_ her place to make sure Hide resolved his issues. He looked positively _gray_ with worry, and Akira preferred to have her vice-captain healthy and able to work. Akira was determined that his issues, whatever they were, would be nipped in the bud before they became true problems. 

As they approached :re, Hide stopped and laughed, low and rueful. 

“What is it?” Akira asked curiously. Hide shook his head. 

“It's nothing,” he responded, giving her a lopsided grin, “It's just—I realized I never thanked you for letting me stay the night. It was probably pretty, uh, awkward for you.” 

Akira waved him off, “It was nothing. Besides, it's in my best interest for you to be well-adjusted and well-rested. You're a better investigator that way.” 

Hide hummed and looked up at the sky, a thoughtful expression on his face. His next words were spoken so softly, she wondered if he had meant for her to hear. 

“I wonder...” he murmured, “Would you still care about me if you knew what I did?” 

She looked at him sharply, “Nagachika. Whatever is going on between you, Touka, and Haise cannot be that horrible. Just talk it out. Relax, they won't bite your head off. You're impossible to hate.” 

Hide looked at her, something _odd_ twisting in the shadows of his eyes. Then, he laughed, grinning at her. 

“Thanks, Mom!” he chirped, suddenly bright and cheerful again. 

“Mom, who?” she groused as they entered the cafe. 

Touka was there, as usual, to greet the customers. The instant her eyes landed on Hide, they widened. She made a straight bee-line to them, her attention focused entirely on Hide. 

Hide waved at her, weakly, “Uh, hi, Touka-ch—erk!” 

Faster than a snake strike, Touka grabbed both of Hide's cheeks in her hands, pinching them, and pulling his mouth out. 

“I should yell at you,” she informed him in a low voice, tears prickling at her eyes, “Seriously, I should punch your head off.” 

“I guess you're mad?” Hide mumbled, the words slightly distorted due to the stretch of cheeks. Touka's eyes widened again, and she let go of him, slowly. 

Then, she hugged him. Akira hid a quick smile. The look on Hide's face—he looked so shocked. Hide blinked, and slowly wrapped his arms around Touka. Carefully, he rubbed her back, feeling her tremble under his fingers. He had forgotten. Touka always feared that those close to her would disappear. He really had been unfair to her. 

“I was worried, you idiot!” Touka cried out as she let him go, “We both were!” 

“K—Haise came home?” Hide blurted out, surprised, “I thought he would try to avoid...Wh—” 

“He's in the kitchen,” Touka murmured, moving to the side and lightly nudging Hide, “Go talk to him. Idiot.” 

Hide nodded woodenly, and did as he was told, pushing past the doorway into :re's kitchen. Touka sighed, and shook her head, smiling fondly at his back. Akira raised a brow. Perhaps she had miscalculated. She had originally thought that Hide was fighting with Touka, but the exchange between the pair indicated the fight Nagachika was running from wasn't with Touka, but with _Haise._ What on earth had caused those two to fight? Haise was usually very laid back. 

Akira looked towards Touka. While Touka appeared to have collected herself at first glance, her hands refused to stay still, her fingers drumming against her thigh in a staccato beat—one, two, one-two. After a moment, her hand clenched into a fist, stopping her fidgeting. Touka turned to face Akira, a small smile on her face. She bowed politely, gratitude radiating from her. 

“Akira,” Touka began, “I'm assuming Hide stayed with you? Thank you.” 

“It was no problem,” Akira replied, waving away the younger woman's thanks, “Nagachika didn't tell me what happened, but he looked pretty bad last night. What happened between him and Haise?” 

The curve of Touka's lips as she smiled was small and a touch sardonic. 

“Something stupid,” Touka replied in an even voice, “I'm hoping they won't try to weasel out, and properly talk to each other. Really, I should go join them. Go ahead and take a seat at a table. Nii-san will come take your order.” 

Akira nodded in agreement. Just as Touka was about to disappear into the kitchen, Akira called out to the younger woman. 

“I can't have Nagachika in a mental state where he can't work,” Akira informed Touka, “Will this be a regular occurrence?” 

“It better not,” Touka snorted, and then she slid into the kitchen and out of sight. 

– 

Hide tried not to look to nervous when he entered :re's kitchen. He didn't succeed, but he tried. 

Kaneki was facing away from Hide, busy with a mixing bowl. From where he stood, Hide's nose could pick out the chocolate Kaneki was working with. Delicious to Hide, but for Kaneki, the scent had to be nauseating. 

“Hey,” Hide greeted quietly, so not to startle his friend, “Is that for me?” 

The metal bowl fell from Kaneki's fingers onto the worktable with a sharp _clang,_ dark sauce spilling all across the counter top. Hide winced. So much for not startling Kaneki. 

“Aww, shit,” Hide cursed, instinctively striding over and grabbing a nearby towel, “I'm sorry. Lemme help you cl—” 

Kaneki didn't let Hide finish his sentience, sweeping the blond into a warm hug. Instantly, all the tension that had been building inside of Hide all morning, broke and vanished. Touka and Akira had been right. He had been making this far more difficult for himself than he needed to. 

“You're back,” Kaneki whispered, letting go of the human carefully. Hide grinned at his oldest friend. 

“Yeah, sorry I'm late,” Hide apologized. They grinned at each other for a minute, before suddenly being interrupted by Touka entering the kitchen. 

“Hey, Touka-chan,” the two men chorused at her together. 

She raised an eyebrow them, “Everything good then?” 

Hide and Kaneki shared a quick glance. 

“Yeah,” Hide nodded firmly, “We'll probably talk more when we get home, but—” 

“We're good,” Kaneki finished for him, a happy smile lighting up his face. 

“Group hug time?” Hide pleaded, making grabby hands in Touka's direction. Touka's face morphed into an expression of horror. 

“No!” she yelped, “You're both filthy!” 

Startled, both Hide and Kaneki looked down. Chocolate sauce was splattered all over Kaneki's apron, and the dark goop had transferred to Hide when they hugged. There was even a streak of it smeared across Kaneki's cheekbone. Hide laughed, ran a finger over some of the chocolate on his shirt, and popped the digit in his mouth. 

“Mmm, delicious,” Hide grinned. Touka and Kaneki both looked at him in horror. 

“Gross,” the ghouls proclaimed. Kaneki sighed and plucked at his apron. 

“I hate wearing food,” he grumbled. Hide snickered and handed his friend the towel he picked up earlier. For a second, the human thought about making a joke, but after a sharp glare from Touka, swallowed it down. 

“I'll see if we have spare clothes somewhere for both of you,” Touka grumbled, rolling her eyes, “And Hide?” 

He blinked up at her, “Yes Touka-chan?” 

She smiled, the curve of her lips fond. 

“It's good to have you back.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay, feel good chapter. ~~Which means, by the rules of TG, brutality is just around the corner.~~


	15. Logic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “It's fine,” she whispered to herself, “Everything will be fine.”

“It's good to be home!” Hide crowed as he sauntered through the front door of his apartment, Touka and Kaneki trailing behind him. Both ghouls were trying (and failing) to disguise smiles as Hide went about hugging the furniture. 

“Oh, I missed you chair,” Hide crooned as he flopped into his customary seat at the kitchen table, “It's been so long...” 

“Hide, you were only gone a night,” Touka pointed out dryly, “You've been away longer before when you were on missions.” 

“Yeah, but this time was different,” Hide said flippantly, though there was a tightness around his shoulders that he couldn't quite disguise. 

“Yes,” Kaneki agreed quietly, “It was. Hide...about your plan. I want to discuss it again.” 

Hide looked over at the half-ghoul, surprise written all over his face. 

“B-but I thought...” Hide sputtered, “You—” 

Kaneki held up a hand to cut Hide off, “I thought about it a little more, and you're right. We can't keep fighting both Aogiri and the CCG.” 

Touka frowned, “I thought you didn't _want_ to make peace with Aogiri, Kaneki.” 

Kaneki shrugged, his face a steely mask. 

“You're right, I don't,” Kaneki stated bluntly, but then, his head dipped and his expression grew a little softer, “However...this isn't just my decision, is it? Our conflict with Aogiri doesn't just affect me. It affects both of you, and everyone else at :re.” 

“That's right,” Hide nodded, a little confused on where Kaneki was going. The blond looked over at Touka, wondering if she knew anything. The female ghoul merely shrugged; she had no idea either. 

“If...If Nishio-sempai will agree with your plan to set up a meeting with Aogiri, then, I too...I will agree with it,” Kaneki said, the words coming out of him in spurts and bursts, “But until then, I will...I would highly recommend—keeping things as they...as they are.” 

Hide smiled, relieved, “Yeah...yeah, that's fair. Thanks, Kaneki.” 

– 

Nishiki was starting to become worried that he was getting used to visiting Kimi at the hospital. It wasn't something that he should have gotten used to. Visiting his injured fiancee in a hospital should never have become the norm. What should have happened was that Kimi, whole and healthy, would have moved in with him. Or he would have moved in with her. Maybe they would have gotten one of the rooms above :re, and every morning their room would have smelled like freshly ground coffee beans, not the sharp sterility of Kimi's hospital room. 

It was strange to see Kimi like this. She was immobile in her bed and uncomfortably pale. Even the red in her mahogany hair appeared to be duller. To Nishiki's nose, she smelled like old blood and harsh medicines. It was a vast difference to how she was before Aogiri's attack. Kimi was always very athletic. She had been active in her high school archery club, and still practiced the sport in college. 

How was she going to shoot her bow if she couldn't stand? 

Nishiki was once again struck with how frail humans were. Ghouls never had to deal with paralysis, at least not for very long before regeneration kicked in and healed damaged nerves and broken bones. But the right kind of wound to a human—injuries like that could easily be permanent. 

“You're brooding,” Kimi accused, reaching up to prod him in the side. 

He chose to ignore her statement, instead rolling his eyes as he carefully took her hand. The thin bangles they both wore slid against each other. 

“How are you feeling?” Nishiki asked squeezing her hand gently. 

Kimi was silent for a moment as she tried to think of how best to answer his question. Her eyes inevitably drifted over to her legs covered in the bed sheets. Even though she could see the appendages, she couldn't feel them. There was just numbness. 

“I'm doing better,” Kimi decided on. Nishiki's jaw tightened. 

“You're lying,” he growled, “Your legs—” 

“The doctors think that with enough time and physical therapy, I might be able to use them again,” Kimi interrupted smoothly, patting his hand. 

“That's bullshit, and you know it,” Nishiki hissed angrily, “Fuck. Fucking doctors. Fucking _Aogiri!_ ” 

“Shh!” Kimi hushed, looking around worriedly, “Not so loud! What if the CCG was nearby? Civilians like us aren't supposed to know about Aogiri.” 

Nishiki scoffed, crossing his arms, “That's what we've got Nagachika for, remember? The idiot is good for covering, at least.” 

Kimi frowned disapprovingly, “You shouldn't be so harsh on Hide-kun. He's done a lot for us.” 

“He's an idiot who wants to make peace with Aogiri!” Nishiki hissed furiously, his teeth grinding together. 

“Oh,” Kimi blinked slowly, “That's good, right?” 

Nishiki was taken aback. 

“W-what?” 

“Fighting with Aogiri is dangerous, isn't it?” Kimi asked, chewing on her lip, “If you don't have to fight them, why should you?” 

“Because of what they did to you!” Nishiki snarled, “They don't deserve any mercy!” 

“I don't care about revenge, Nishiki!” Kimi shouted back, “If anything happens to you, because of me—” 

Kimi broke off, burying her face in her palms. She was silent, but her shoulders shook with sobs. 

“Kimi,” Nishiki began, laying a placating hand on her shoulder. She shrugged him off, peering at him between tear-stained fingers, eyes red. 

“I worry about you all the time, you idiot!” she cried, her hands making futile efforts to wipe away her tears, “You could be caught anytime. You could _die_ at anytime! When you joined :re, I was relieved because I thought you would be _safer!_ But now you're chasing after danger...and for what? For me? I couldn't—I would never be able to forgive myself if you died because of me!” 

Nishiki's face smoothed over in a mask of false bravado, “I wouldn't _die._ ” 

“Don't lie,” Kimi begged, a fresh flow of tears cascading down her face, “I know that Aogiri is dangerous, and they vastly outnumber everyone at :re. Hide-kun showed me some of Aogiri's statistics once. If you fought with them head on, you wouldn't survive.” 

“Then what am I supposed to do?!” Nishiki snapped, angry not at her, but at the situation, “Shit! You're right. They're dangerous. That doesn't mean we should be all buddy-buddy with the shitheads!” 

Silence fell between the two of them, even as the tension spiked. Finally Kimi sighed, her shoulders slumping. 

“I just...I want you to be safe,” Kimi whispered, her voice small, “Is it too much to ask for you _not_ to take unnecessary risks? I don't want revenge, Nishiki. I just want you to be _alright_!” 

He stared at her, his mouth agape. _She_ was worried about _him?_ Why? She was the frail one, the injured one...she was the one in danger, not him. 

Nishiki licked his lips, and opened his mouth, “Kimi—” 

A sudden _knock_ on the door cut Nishiki off. Quickly, Kimi wiped her face. Her skin still looked a little blotchy, and Nishiki couldn't help but feel a bit guilty at that. 

“Come in!” Kimi called out. The door opened, emitting a nurse and two familiar Doves, Mado Akira and her subordinate, Mutsuki Tooru. 

“Nishino-san,” the nurse began politely, “Sorry for the interruption, but the investigators wish to speak with you.” 

“Oh,” Kimi blinked, “I see. Ah, Nishiki...” 

Nishiki glanced over at the newcomers, a little leery of the Doves. However, it would have been more suspicious if he made a fuss, so he merely stood from his seat with a sigh. 

“We'll talk later,” he suggested, offering her a weak smile. She returned it, the curve of her lips equally frail. 

“Alright,” Kimi agreed as she beckoned the nurses over. Nishiki quickly left, pushing past the Doves as he went. As he exited the hospital, Nishiki sighed, and reached for his phone. He quickly punched in a number, and placed the device to his ear. 

“Hey, Nagachika?” Nishiki began, “We need to talk. About that ceasefire...What do we need to do to talk peacefully with the Aogiri shit bags?” 

– 

Meanwhile, back inside Kimi's room, Akira and Mutsuki took seats in the visitor chairs, a business-like air about them. 

“I'm sorry for the inconvenience, Nishino-san,” Akira apologized, “But we need to ask you some questions.” 

Kimi smiled back politely, if a bit confused, “I don't understand. I already gave a witness statement to Nagachika-kun. I told him everything I could remember from the day of the attack. I thought that would be it.” 

“Something else came up when we were researching your project, Nishino-san,” Akira explained, “This won't take long.” 

“Alright,” Kimi relented, smiling graciously, “A few more questions are not a problem.” 

Akira nodded, and pulled a few sheets of paper from her briefcase, along with a notebook. 

“Nishino-san, according to the records, your project received a substantial donation shortly before the press conference attack,” Akira stated, reading from some papers, “We spoke to some other representatives from Kamii, and they said that while the donation was made anonymously, it was done so in _your_ name. Do you know who your sponsor was?” 

Kimi paused, unsure how to answer. Yes, she knew who the “mysterious” donor was. Tsukiyama pumped a large sum into the RC-cell project, both to the public project conducted by Kamii University as well as to Kimi and Nishiki's private research. Kimi doubted that Tsukiyama would appreciate his name being known to the Doves. 

“Nishino-san,” Akira prompted when Kimi's silence stretched for too long, “You sponsor. Do you know their identity?” 

Kimi sighed. She wanted to lie, but Hide had warned her that Akira's intuition was sharp. Unlike Hide, Kimi was inexperienced in lying. Best stick to the truth as much as possible. 

“I do, but I don't see how that's relevant to your investigation,” Kimi admitted, nervously fiddling with the bangles around her wrist, “An anonymous donation is anonymous for a reason. He likes his privacy.” 

“Nishino-san,” Akira frowned, “The ghouls who attacked you—they are incredibly dangerous, and they want your research. And they aren't the only ones after it. They'll try any angle, including going after your sponsor. He needs to be warned.” 

“Couldn't I tell him myself? There's no need for you to be involved,” Kimi protested weakly. Akira's eyes narrowed, suddenly suspicious. Ice filled Kimi's stomach in an instant. She had just stepped on a verbal landmine. Hadn't Hide had warned her? Akira's intuition was good. Quickly, she ducked her head as her heart thundered in her ears. Perhaps she could salvage this. 

“I'm sorry,” Kimi murmured demurely, “It's just that—he has been a good friend, and his privacy is very important to him. He wouldn't want any unnecessary attention.” 

Mutsuki, seeming to sense Kimi's apprehension, smiled kindly at the civilian, “Don't worry. We won't publish his name. It will be kept confidential within the CCG.” 

That didn't assure Kimi in the least, but she knew that if she kept withholding the name, it would start looking strange. Kimi sighed, and hope she wasn't making a huge mistake. 

“Tsukiyama Shuu,” she offered quietly, her fingers rubbing against her bangles. 

Mutsuki's eyebrows rose, “Tsukiyama? As in the Tsukiyama Group?” 

“They're one of the biggest conglomerates in Tokyo,” Akira murmured thoughtfully, “Why would they—no, never mind. They have stakes all sorts of companies and fields, including the medical community. Of course they would be interested in your research.” 

Kimi nodded quickly, glad to be given an excuse, “Yes. From what I've been told, they even own a few hospitals.” 

Kimi also knew that several of the hospital morgues helped supply Anteiku and the ghouls they protected with much needed meat. Not that she was going to mention that in front of the Doves. 

“Thank you for your time, Nishino-san,” Akira said formally, standing up and bowing, “Good luck on your recovery.” 

“Thank you,” Kimi replied, keeping a polite smile on as the investigators filed out of her room. As soon as she was alone, Kimi's shoulders slumped. She breathed out, wrapping shaking arms around herself. 

“It's fine,” she whispered to herself, “Everything will be fine.” 

– 

Akira and Mutsuki headed out of the hospital and towards their car. As they walked, Mutsuki noticed the tightness around Akira's mouth. 

“Something wrong?” Mutsuki asked curiously. 

“Nishino was hiding something,” Akira murmured, “I don't know what it was, but she was hiding something.” 

“Well she did say Tsukiyama liked his privacy,” Mutsuki pointed out, “He's rich, powerful. Maybe she's worried he'll retaliate against her.” 

“I don't think so,” Akira shook her head, “I don't have any proof, but my instinct says there's something else.” 

“Do you want to talk to Nishino-san again?” Mutsuki asked. 

“No,” Akira sighed as she unlocked the car and slid into the driver's seat, “That will get us nowhere. Instead, let's talk with Tsukiyama. He might have some valuable information for us. Mutsuki, I'm putting you in charge of getting in contact with the appropriate people. I want to have a meeting with Tsukiyama Shuu by the end of the week.” 

“Yes, ma'am!” 

– 

Day faded into night, but Tokyo still buzzed with activity. Hide hummed happily as he, Touka, and Kaneki made their way over to Itori's bar, Helter Skelter. It was evening now, and a few hours ago, Nishiki had called up agreeing to try Hide's ceasefire plan. Hide had thought that he would have to beg for Nishiki's approval. The blond had even planned for it. For Nishiki to consent to at least _trying_ to negotiate with Aogiri was a minor miracle. 

In Hide's opinion, things were starting to look up. 

“Heeey, Itori!” Hide called out cheerfully as the trio entered the bar. He waved enthusiastically at her, but stopped, surprised. Normally Itori made sure sure that the bar was cleared out when Anteiku came to visit, but today was different. There was a stranger with her. 

Or perhaps not quite a stranger. Touka's eyes widened in recognition, and Kaneki froze, his lips thinning when he laid eyes on the colorfully dressed man lounging against Itori's bar. Hide blinked as both of his roommates stepped forward, subtly shielding from the stranger. 

“Nico,” Kaneki greeted neutrally, his face a careful blank mask. Nico's painted lips curled upwards in a welcoming smile. 

“It's been awhile, Kaneki-kun,” Nico purred before turning that smile to Touka, “And Kirishima-chan—hello again. My, my, you've both grown to be quite lovely. And with a third! I agree, Itori. They are quite the good looking trio.” 

“I said 'balanced,' Nico,” Itori corrected, looking fondly exasperated at her old friend, “They're well balanced, don't you think?” 

“Mmm, yes,” Nico hummed, nodding in agreement, “Lovely, lovely.” 

“Why are you here, Nico?” Kaneki asked curtly, uninterested in beating around the bush. 

Nico placed a hand on his chest, pretending to be hurt, “Ahhh, how cold, Kaneki-kun...how cool and sexy.” 

“I thought Nico could be of some help,” Itori cut in, a playful smirk dancing over her lips, “He's a much better go between than I am if you want to deal with Aogiri.” 

“I see,” Kaneki murmured in a monotone voice. 

Kaneki's expression didn't change, but his eyes darkened slightly. It was true that Nico had been helpful before, back when Kaneki was chasing after information on Kanou and Aogiri's One-Eyed King. However, Nico's involvement with Yamori made Kaneki wary of the other ghoul. Yes, Nico had shown Kaneki kindness once, but Nico had also shown a love of cruel brutality that was unsettling. 

“We want neutral setting for our meeting with Aogiri,” Touka put in, slightly wary, but not nearly as tense as Kaneki, “Somewhere where their numbers won't mean much, just in case things go badly. Someplace small. Do you know of a place?” 

Nico hummed thoughtfully. 

“I do,” Nico replied after a moment, “I will get in contact with Aogiri. If they agree to meeting with you, I will pass along the location and a time.” 

“When can we expect for you to call?” Touka asked. 

“A few days,” Nico answered, “Just wait for me eagerly~” 

– 

A few days passed since their meeting with Itori and Nico, and Anteiku had yet to receive that promised call. Kaneki pretended like he didn't care, but with both of his roommates constantly checking the calendar and counting down the days, he couldn't help but feel the tension as well. 

However, no one was as anxious as Nishiki. 

Nishiki was constantly on edge, tensing whenever :re received a phone call, and snarling when addressed. Even Kimi's release from the hospital couldn't soothe his nerves. The former pharmacy student didn't bother hiding his irritation, snapping at everyone, including customers. Kaneki sympathized; he too was uneasy with talking with Aogiri. It was understandable that Nishiki would be unhappy with arrangement, even if he agreed to it, and Kaneki was willing to cut the older ghoul some slack. 

Touka, however, was having none of it. She finally lost her temper after Nishiki drove away yet another customer, leaving :re empty save for the staff. 

“Oi, shitty four-eyes!” Touka snarled, “What the fuck are you doing?!” 

“My _job_ or are you going blind, idiot?!” Nishiki snapped right back. Touka glared at him, jabbing a finger into his chest. 

“Well, you're doing shitty work!” she shrieked, eye twitching. Soon tempers boiled over, and the two were hurling insults back and forth. 

“You stupid shitty—” 

“Fuck you, you idiotic—” 

Behind the service counter, Yomo and Haise stared at them, dumbfounded. They glanced back and forth between the arguing pair, their eyes bouncing back and forth like they were watching a ping-pong match. 

“Should we...stop them?” Haise asked, his brows furrowing together worriedly. Yomo shook his head. 

“They need to let it out,” Yomo murmured calmly. 

“I guess,” Haise said hesitantly, “Better now than when we have customers.” 

As if on cue, the bell on :re's door tinkled merrily. Yomo stiffened, as if shocked by an electric wire. Nishiki and Touka didn't appear to notice. 

“You're such a shitty brat!” Nishiki was screaming, gesturing wildly with his arms as he leaned into Touka's space, “Fuck! No wonder you haven't—” 

“Excuse me,” a stern voice cut in, stopping the pair mid-argument, “Are you open?” 

Both Nishiki and Touka whipped their heads around to shout at the newcomer, but stopped, their mouth's gaping when they got a good look at who exactly stepped into :re. 

White hair, white coat—the deadliest Dove in Tokyo. 

“A-Arima-san!” Touka sputtered, trying to regain her composure as Nishiki began coughing behind her, his face pale, “Welcome to :re!” 

The CCG's Reaper smiled faintly at her, “I can come back at another time—” 

“Yes!” Nishiki blurted out quickly. Touka shot at glare at him. 

“No, it's fine, we're open,” Touka countered, torn between scowling at Nishiki and smiling politely at her customer, “Please have a seat. We—” 

“Touka, Nishiki,” Yomo interrupted, his posture still stiff. His eyes were riveted on Arima, and his lips were pressed in a thin, _thin_ line. 

“Ah, yes, Nii-san?” Touka replied, trying not to tense. 

“A word in private,” Yomo murmured, as he gestured towards the kitchen. Touka and Nishiki winced in unison before they quietly slipped into the kitchen and out of sight. Yomo stayed a moment longer, glancing sharply at Arima. It wasn't exactly a secret among :re's staff that Yomo had _misgivings_ about Arima's presence, even if Yomo refused to fully explain his reasons. Usually, Yomo avoided the investigator like the plague; an easy feat since Arima's busy schedule tended to only allow him to visit on Wednesdays, if he came by at all during the week. Coming by :re on a Tuesday was unusual. 

“Can you handle everything out here, Haise?” Yomo asked quietly. Haise flashed him a reassuring smile. 

“I'll be fine,” Haise promised. Yomo frowned faintly, but nodded curtly. With one last glance at Arima, the silver-haired man disappeared behind the kitchen doors. With the others gone, Haise turned his full attention to :re's customer. 

“Sorry about all that,” Haise apologized sheepishly, as he gestured for Arima to take a seat at the counter, “What I can get for you, Arima?” 

“A coffee, black no sugar, and a latte with a shot of espresso.” 

Haise tilted his head, confused, “Two drinks?” 

“The coffee is for you,” Arima replied calmly. 

“Ah, but I'm currently working...” Haise attempted to protest. 

“There's no one here except me,” the investigator pointed out. Haise bit his lip, unsure, before finally relaxing with a small laugh. 

“I suppose no one will mind if I sit with you for a little while,” Haise conceded as he started to prepare the drinks, “Would you like to try some cookies on the house? I'm experimenting with a new recipe so I need some taste-testers.” 

Arima hummed an affirmative. Haise grinned happily and quickly fetched a plate of the snacks. To be honest, he hadn't expected Arima to agree. The investigator didn't seem to be the kind of person who enjoyed sweets. Haise finished the drinks, and set everything down on the counter before sliding into the seat next to Arima. 

“I added espresso to the cookie dough,” Haise explained cheerfully as Arima took an experimental bite, “They smell absolutely fantastic, but Hide complains that the flavor is too strong. What do you think?” 

“They're good,” Arima replied with his usual stoic face on. 

“Are you sure?” Haise checked, his brows furrowed, “I was thinking about putting icing on them to sweeten them up a bit, but then the sugar will cover up the coffee flavor...” 

“Add espresso to the icing,” Arima suggested, taking another bite of the treat. 

“Ah, good idea!” Haise agreed, making a mental note. Unconsciously, Haise's face morphed into a nostalgic smile as he watched Arima eat. It always made Haise happy to see someone enjoy food that he cooked, but at the same time, the half-ghoul couldn't help but be caught up in old memories. Burgers from Big Girls, birthday cake, home-cooked meals...He had known, once upon a time, how they all tasted, but the memories were faded, ghostly things. They were like dreams. (They were like Sasaki Haise.) 

“Haise,” Arima called, snapping the half-ghoul out of his reverie. Haise blinked once, slowly, before blushing. 

“Sorry, I was spacing out,” :re's cook laughed, absentmindedly rubbing his face in embarrassment. 

Arima nodded before changing the subject. “I have a whack-a-mole mission coming up that will last for a few weeks.” 

“Oh, is that why you came by today? To return the last book?” Haise guessed, even as Arima withdrew a paperback from his jacket, “Thank you, Arima. Wait right here while I get you some new ones.” 

Haise quickly hopped off his seat and began evaluating :re's bookshelves. 

“That won't be necessary,” Arima murmured, though he didn't appear to be protesting very hard, “I won't be able to return them for awhile.” 

“That's fine,” Haise assured him, already pulling a few books from the racks, “Here, take a couple, so you won't run out of reading material before I see you again.” 

Arima tilted his head curiously, as he took the novels Haise handed to him, “And if I were to die in this next mission?” 

Haise froze, his eyes going wide. Part of him, the side of him that stood firmly in the ghoul world, wanted to scoff in disbelief. Arima Kishou was the _Reaper,_ the undefeated ghoul investigator. Of course Arima would come back. No one could beat him; he was unstoppable, inevitable—like death itself. Arima would be fine. It was just a fact. 

The rest of Haise wanted to wave aside Arima's words, even as they sparked a tiny bloom of unease in his chest. He didn't want Arima, his precious friend, to die. The possibility of Arima's death shouldn't even be considered, ever. 

Haise hunched into himself, oddly insecure, “Don't...don't joke like that. You'll be fine, and I'll see you in a few weeks.” 

Arima frowned faintly, but then slowly nodded. 

“Of course, Haise.” 

– 

While Haise entertained Arima, Yomo ushered Nishiki and Touka back into the kitchen, and then past the trapdoor, down to the secret areas beneath :re. 

“Finish yelling at each other here, away from the Reaper,” Yomo intoned, giving them both a glare that brooked no arguments. 

Nishiki and Touka looked at each other, hesitant. By now the fight had drained from both of them, but neither ghoul wanted to apologize quite yet. Yomo didn't quite sigh, but he did pull up a chair and sat down, staring at the pair expectantly. 

Finally Touka scrubbed at her hair and began, “Nishiki—” 

_Ring, ring!_ Nishiki groaned as his phone started buzzing, cutting Touka off. Grumbling quietly, he snatched up his phone and picked up the call. 

“Yeah?” Nishiki snapped into the device. 

_“Ah, Nishiki, hello,”_ Tsukiyama's voice greeted, unfazed by Nishiki's rudeness, _“I have some good news for you. The laboratory is all set up for you and Kimi-san. Please come by and visit when you have the opportunity.”_

“Oh,” Nishiki blinked, caught off guard, “I...uh, yeah. Sure, Tsukiyama. Kimi should be fine to go out. We'll come by and visit tomorrow.” 

_“See you then,”_ Tsukiyama agreed, and then he hung up. 

“Tsukiyama?” Touka blinked as Nishiki put away his phone and turned back to her, “What does that narcissist want?” 

“He got Kimi and me some lab space for the RC-cell research,” Nishiki replied, still a bit bewildered, “I didn't actually think he'd do it, you know?” 

“Huh, I guess you won't need to use the training grounds anymore. Want me to help you pack up your shit?” Touka offered. It wasn't exactly an apology, but between her and Nishiki, it worked as one. 

“Yeah, sure,” Nishiki grinned, as the last of the tension between the two of the evaporate, “Just don't drop anything.” 

– 

As Tsukiyama promised, he had set up the lab in the 8th Ward. The lab was located within the Lunatic Eclipse, one of the numerous buildings the Tsukiyama Group owned. Tsukiyama lead them through the building. As he passed, various employees called out to him, obviously familiar with the Tsukiyama heir. Nishiki wheeled Kimi along, trying to keep from turning his head around and around to look at everything like Kimi was. 

Finally, Tsukiyama paused in front of a set of doors, opened it, and ushered Kimi and Nishiki inside. 

“What do you think?” Tsukiyama asked, sweeping out an elegant hand to encompass the whole room. 

Nishiki tried to keep a stoic mask on, but he couldn't stop gaping. The lab was larger than his whole apartment and well furnished. There was plenty of lab equipment to go around, two computer stations, and ample working space. The walkways between the lab's work tables were even wide enough to allow for Kimi's wheelchair. 

“This is incredible!” Kimi gasped, not bothering to hide her delight, “Thank you, Tsukiyama!” 

“Let me know if you need anything else,” Tsukiyama offered. 

“You have been too generous,” Kimi protested, practically beaming, “We'll never be able to repay you.” 

As Kimi wheeled herself around to explore the lab, Nishiki glanced over to Tsukiyama. Normally, Tsukiyama would be bragging about the place, but today, he was quiet. The other ghoul seemed distracted, constantly checking his phone with a faint frown marring his handsome features. It was odd, and completely unlike the wealthy ghoul. 

“You seem a bit...off. More so than usual,” Nishiki commented, side-eyeing Tsukiyama, “What's up?” 

Tsukiyama waved an unconcerned hand, “It's nothing. It is simply that I have scheduled a meeting with the CCG. Ever since Kimi-san mentioned my name to them, they have been contacting us.” 

Nishiki's eyes narrowed, “Do they want you to go to one of their offices? But the RC-gates—” 

“ _Non,_ it seems that they were willing to come to my mansion to have our conversation,” Tsukiyama shrugged, “Even so, I worry. What if they notice something?” 

“Eh, distract them with food,” Nishiki suggested, “That shit always works for Sasaki. He even tamed the CCG's Reaper with a couple of novels and a plate full of cookies yesterday.” 

Tsukiyama burst into surprised laughter, “Ah, that's our Kaneki-kun! Thank you for the suggestion. Hmm, I don't suppose you could provide me with something to offer my guests?” 

“Yes, yes, :re can make you some damn human food,” Nishiki grumbled rolling his eyes, “I can bring you some of our leftovers.” 

“Are you sure?” Tsukiyama checked, “I wouldn't want to impose...” 

“Stop pretending to be all bashful. It's sicking,” Nishiki snorted, though there was a lack of heat in his voice, “Yeah, we can afford to lend you some fucking cookies. Sasaki's been on one of his baking binges lately. We've got food to spare.” 

– 

It had taken a little longer than expected, but the Mado squad was finally able to convince Tsukiyama Shuu to talk with the CCG. Tsukiyama indicated his desire that the Mado squad interview him at his home. It was a simple request, and Akira was willing to grant it. She was also perfectly content with accepting his offer of having someone chauffeur the Mado squad to his estate. Although everyone had known the Tsukiyama family was very rich, no one had quite expected the beautiful limousine that came to pick them up. 

“Oh wow,” Mutsuki breathed quietly under his breath as the polished vehicle stopped in front of them. The chauffeur stepped out and opened the car door to let the Mado squad in. 

“I am Kanae,” their driver murmured politely, “I will be be your escort. Please get in.” 

“So cool!” Saiko cheered as she eagerly hopped in. Hide followed her with a laugh, then Mutsuki, Shirazu, and Urie. Akira paused before getting in, glancing over at driver. Was it just her, or was Kanae oddly tense? 

“Thank you for driving us,” Akira said as she slid inside. Kanae merely nodded curtly in response before closing the door securely behind the investigators. 

“Oh man, I think this limo is bigger than my bedroom,” Shirazu gaped, glancing around the space. 

“The Tsukiyamas are one of the richest families in Tokyo,” Urie pointed out, “(Of course their cars are going to be worth more than you.)” 

“Just sit back and enjoy the ride,” Hide suggested, his usual cheerful smile in place, “I'm sure we'll have a lot of fun today.” 

Before long, they arrived at Tsukiyama's estate. Again, Kanae opened the door for them and then took point, leading the investigators across the grounds and into the mansion itself. 

The Tsukiyama mansion was huge and decadent, with extensive flowering gardens on the outside and gorgeous artwork on the inside. Akira did her best to keep a stoic mask firmly in place, but from the corner of her eye, she spied her squad's reactions. Shirazu, Saiko, and Mutsuki stared openly at the splendor around them, their mouths slack in awe. Urie fared slightly better, but even his gaze darted about at the riches around them. 

“Snazzy, huh?” Hide commented quietly to Akira. She hummed noncommittally. 

“Don't let all of this dazzle you,” Akira ordered her squad firmly, causing a few embarrassed blushes, “We're here on business, not to sight-see.” 

A series of voices replied, “Yes, ma'am!” 

Ahead of them, Kanae snorted faintly, but did not comment further. Akira glanced uneasily at the violet-haired servant. The investigator couldn't put her finger on it, but there was something...odd about Kanae. There was something odd about this whole place. The few servants Akira saw in the corridors quickly scuttled away from the CCG agents, their gazes turned downwards. Even so, Akira felt the servants' stares on her back as her squad passed. She guessed that servants were taught to be demure and that they were curious, but their behavior troubled her. She supposed that most people would be uneasy when the CCG were around. Ghoul investigators meant ghouls, and no one wanted to be caught up in the violence. 

“In here,” Kanae announced, leading the group of investigators to a beautifully furnished parlor, “Take a seat. Master Shuu will be with you shortly.” 

“Thank you,” Akira murmured, taking a seat on a plush couch. Saiko and Hide joined her there, while the others took spots on elegant wooden chairs softened with embroidered pillows. 

“Oh look, snacks!” Saiko crowed, spotting a tray of treats on a nearby coffee table, “The cookies look so cute!” 

There was a neat plate of cookies on the coffee table along with, oddly enough, a slice of plain bread. Gleefully, Saiko whipped out her phone and began snapping photos of the pastries before grabbing a few to shove in her mouth. 

“Hey, don't hog them all!” Shirazu complained to Saiko as he too reached over for some food, “Huh, coffee-flavored cookies. Neat.” 

The snacks were passed around, and soon the whole squad was munching happily on the cookies. 

“These are really good,” Mutsuki observed, “I like that they're not too sweet. What do you think?” 

“Almost as good as Maman's cookies,” Saiko declared, already munching through her eighth cookie, “Maman's cookies are the best.” 

“Bleh,” Hide complained good-naturedly, “Too much espresso. I'd rather have chocolate.” 

“Don't whine,” Akira admonished, “It's unbecoming, and it shows how much Haise and Touka have spoiled you.” 

“ _Non,_ please, do complain,” a smooth voice interrupted from behind them, “It will be good to let our cook know where he can make improvements.” 

The Mado squad turned around, coming face to face with a handsome man dressed in a floral printed suit. Several of the squad members were openly staring in surprise. They hadn't expected their host to be quite so young...or good looking. He easily could have passed as a model. He bestowed upon them a small smile, evaluating at each investigator carefully in turn, save for Hide. Oddly, the handsome man's eyes merely skimmed over the squad's vice-captain, though his smile grew slightly more welcoming when he laid eyes on Hide. 

Akira wondered if they knew each other. It was possible, considering both of them were acquainted with Nishino Kimi, but Hide had not mentioned a previous meeting with the Tsukiyama heir, nor had the two men greeted each other as if they had known each other. 

“Tsukiyama Shuu, I presume,” Akira guessed, getting up and bowing politely at their host, “Thank you for meeting with us. I am First Class Mado Akira. This is my squad: Rank 3s Mutsuki Tooru, Shirazu Ginshi, and Yonebayashi Saiko, Rank 2 Urie Kuki, and Rank 1 Nagachika Hideyoshi. It's a pleasure to meet you.” 

Tsukiyama dipped his head gracefully, before sliding into an empty chair. He lounged on it like a king on a throne, all grace, power, and elegance. 

“The pleasure is all mine, madam,” Tsukiyama murmured smoothly, “Please, tell me what brought you here to my humble abode.” 

Shirazu snorted faintly in disbelief, but Urie quickly elbowed him into silence. 

Ignoring her less than mature subordinates, Akira focused her attention on Tsukiyama, “You donated to Kamii University's RC-cell research, correct? Do you mind explaining why?” 

Tsukiyama chuckled, “You misunderstand. I did not donate to Kami University. I donated to Nishino Kimi.” 

“Why?” Akira asked again, “The Tsukiyama Group didn't previously invest into ghoul related studies. Why start now? And, if as you say, you invested on the _individual_ rather than the project as a whole, what makes Nishino Kimi so special?” 

Tsukiyama paused, his fingers drumming against his leg as he thought, “The CCG has interest in Nishino's work because of its application in making cheap RC-suppressants, correct? However, RC-cell research has many other purposes. For example, finding a cure for RC-cell Over-Secretion, or ROS.” 

Instantly, Shirazu's head perked up, his eyes practically glowing with interest, “Wait, did you say a cure for ROS?” 

The rest of his squad also looked up, interested on Shirazu's behalf. It wasn't a secret that Shirazu's sister suffered from the strange disease. There was no known cure for ROS, and the only treatment was to administer expensive RC-suppressants to the patient. 

“I did,” Tsukiyama confirmed, “When Nishino first started working with RC-cells, it was not for the purpose of using her research as a weapon against ghouls. She believed that she could rid humanity of a terrible plague. I donated to her because I believe in her cause and her vision.” 

“So you think of Nishino Kimi as a visionary?” Akira asked, studying their host. While she didn't think he was lying, something in her gut curled in unease. He wasn't lying, but...he was hiding something. 

“Are we not all visionaries?” Tsukiyama replied smoothly, “The reasons for _why_ I donated to Nishino matter very little. I did simply because I wanted to.” 

“That was a lot of money to give away for no reason,” Urie pointed out, “(What's in it for you?)” 

Tsukiyama shrugged elegantly, “I am quite rich. Besides, Nishino is a friend.” 

Akira frowned. Urie made a good point. The amount Tsukiyama had donated was obscene. There had to be a reason for it, something personal. Perhaps Tsukiyama knew someone with ROS. Maybe it was even a family member. Akira resolved to look into it later, but she didn't think she had heard of anyone in the Tsukiyama family that had the disease. 

“A few final questions before we leave,” Akira said, “Did Nishino ever give you any of her notes on her research? Did she do any of her work at any of your laboratories, or leave any of her equipment with you?” 

“No, of course not,” Tsukiyama replied. Akira's instincts sounded an alarm. His body language was far too stiff. He was lying, blatantly so. 

“Tsukiyama,” Akira tried to explain patiently, “There are dangerous people after this research. If they think that you have any notes, they'll come after you and your people. You're taking a grave risk if you're keeping it.” 

“Then it is good that I am not hiding away any of Nishino's work,” Tsukiyama smiled, all smooth elegance, “Your concern is appreciated, but unnecessary, First Class Mado.” 

Akira attempted to reason with him, “Tsukiyama—” 

“Mado-san,” he cut her off curtly, his eyes suddenly hard, “I am in no mood to entertain the CCG's attempts to take a sneak peek at Nishino's research. I would be a poor friend if I let the CCG steal her intellectual capital.” 

Akira reared back, shocked. What? 

“Steal!” Mutsuki sputtered, equally as offended, “Do you honestly think that is what we're here to do?!” 

“As you say, dangerous people are after Nishino's research,” Tsukiyama pointed out, “Her research has many applications, many of which are beneficial to the CCG. One would think that the CCG above all others would do anything to get their hands on that knowledge, even resorting to underhanded tactics.” 

“That's not why we're here!” Akira protested, “Nishino Kimi is in the heart of an investigation dealing with _two_ powerful ghoul gangs! They both want her research!” 

“And so does the CCG,” Tsukiyama observed, “Do you expect me to believe that the CCG is so magnanimous that you will not take the opportunity to take the RC-cell research for for free? If you are worried for my well-being, don't be. As I said, I do not have the research, and even if I did, I have no desire to turn it over to the CCG.” 

Akira grit her teeth, but nodded curtly, “I see. I think we're finished here. Have a good day, Tsukiyama-san.” 

– 

It had stung quite a bit to hear Tsukiyama accuse the CCG of employing dirty methods to get what they wanted. It was true that Dr. Chigyou and Dr. Shiba had expressed a great deal of interest in the RC-cell research. It was also true that the higher ups had tasked the Mado squad with attempting to secure said research. However, for Akira, procurement of the research notes was secondary to protecting the humans involved. 

_The duty of an investigator is not to kill ghouls. It is to save lives._

Even Tsukiyama, despite his mistrustful nature, was entitled to CCG protection if ghouls were actively hunting him. Akira sighed. She couldn't exactly force Tsukiyama to accept their help. She just hoped that he was telling the truth, and that he didn't have access to Nishino Kimi's research. If he didn't have it, then there would be no reason for either Aogiri or Anteiku to target him. 

Akira couldn't help but think that Tsukiyama was lying. He had it, and was in danger if the ghouls found out he had Nishino Kimi's research. 

It was a few days after their meeting with Tsukiyama Shuu, and Akira couldn't shake off the odd feeling that curled around her heart. Her instincts were buzzing, and she was restless. 

Today, Hide had invited the Mado squad to :re, as was his wont. As usual, Haise plied them all with an array of food with a request for them to act as taste-testers. Sandwiches, cookies, cakes—there was even a plate of curry, much to Akira's delight. Idly, Akira wondered if Touka had suggested the dish to Haise. As always, there was far too much food for even an entire squad to plow through. It always seemed like Haise overestimated their stomachs, not that anyone complained. One of the best parts of :re was the leftovers. Besides Mutsuki, no one on the Mado squad knew how to cook. 

Akira sighed in satisfaction as she polished off her curry. The rest of her squad was starting in on the desserts, signaling that the meal was about to wind down. Akira herself reached for a cookie, eager to end lunch on a sweet note. 

She bit down on the treat, letting the flavor fill her senses. How odd, it was a coffee-flavored cookie. It had a soft texture and a gentle sweetness that balanced out the richness of the espresso baked into the treat. 

It tasted wonderful...and strangely familiar. 

“What is it, Akira?” Hide asked around a mouthful of food when he noticed her staring at her dessert, “Something wrong with the cookies? It's the espresso, isn't it? I told Haise the flavor was too strong.” 

Akira frowned as she turned the coffee-flavored pastry between her fingers, “It's nothing. It's just...Yonebayashi, may I see your phone?” 

“Huh? Yeah sure,” the blue-haired girl replied, passing over the device. Akira scrolled through it, quickly finding what she was looking for. 

“Look here,” Akira ordered, passing the phone for Hide to look at, “This picture, the one of the cookies—Yonebayashi, you took it while we were at the Tsukiyama estate, correct?” 

“Oh yeah!” Saiko confirmed, “They had cute cookies, just like Maman's!” 

“Just like Haise's,” Akira echoed, as she held up one of :re's cookies for inspection, “Look. The ones in the photo are exactly like the ones Haise made. The shape, the icing work, even the taste. They're the same.” 

“So?” Hide shrugged, “Tsukiyama could have bought the snacks from :re—they do catering, you know.” 

“But Tsukiyama said that their live-in chef made the food,” Akira countered, her eyes narrowed in suspicion, “It seems like an odd thing to lie about.” 

“Eh, Tsukiyama's a rich boy,” Hide laughed, brushing off her concern, “He probably can't tell when a meal is homemade or bought at a restaurant. And besides, Haise and Tsukiyama's chef could have gotten the recipe from the same place. Coffee themed snacks aren't exactly uncommon. Stop jumping at shadows, Akira.” 

Akira paused for a moment, considering. She turned the cookie over in her fingers one more time, before biting into it again. 

“Perhaps you're right,” Akira admitted after swallowing. 

She continued to munch on the cookie, her eyes distant and thoughtful.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tip: If you have leftover homemade cookies, store them in a container with a slice of bread on top. This will help keep your cookies from drying out. Haise stores all of his cookies with bread, which is why there's a random slice of bread on Tsukiyama's snack tray.


	16. Scouting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Unexpected surprises are the worst.

Touka sighed as she wiped down :re's tables. It was a slow day so far. Not even Hide and the Mado squad had showed up for lunch. They were far too bogged down with training to come by. At the moment, it was quiet enough that Touka had sent most everyone home, leaving just herself and Haise to man the shop. Haise had busied himself with preparing desserts, while Touka stayed up front. 

Suddenly, the bell on the door jingled merrily, announcing new visitors. 

“Welcome to :re!” Touka greeted, as was customary when the door opened. Two strangers were at the doorway, a man and a woman. New customers, good! The man was dressed in a rumpled suit, looking tired and harassed. The woman, in contrast, was smiling vibrantly, dressed in a baggy sweater and long skirt. 

“Table for two please!” the woman announced brightly. Touka nodded, and led them to a table. 

“What would you like to order?” Touka asked, pulling out her memo pad. 

“Two coffees, please, with double shots of espresso,” the woman replied as she skimmed over the menu, “Umm, oh and do you have chocolate covered espresso beans? I'll take a bag of those. And a few of your _petit fours._ Strawberry and lemon would be good. Hey, Shiono, what do you want to order?” 

“Sensei,” the man with her protested, “Two coffees? Haven't you had enough caffeine today? Think of your health!” 

“Ah, you're right, Shiono,” the woman nodded thoughtfully, “Make one a mocha.” 

“Takatsuki-sensei!” the man, Shiono, whined, “Your health!” 

Touka smothered a laugh as the man flailed about and tried to convince his companion to reduce her caffeine intake. As she watched them banter, something niggled at the back of Touka's mind. Her brow furrowed as she sorted through her thoughts. Something about that woman was familiar. Touka was sure she had seen those features before...After all, green hair wasn't exactly common. 

“Takatsuki-sensei!” Shiono wailed again as the woman laughed at him. 

Touka frowned. Takatsuki...that name— 

Suddenly, it clicked. 

“You're—you're Takatsuki Sen!” Touka blurted out, her eyes as wide as saucers. 

The bespectacled woman smiled, and tucked a stray strand of green hair behind her ear, “You've heard of me?” 

“Of course! Our coffee shop has copies of all your books. Our cook is your biggest fan,” Touka explained with a large smile, “He'll be so excited—do you mind if I go get him? He would love to meet you.” 

“I love meeting fans!” Takatsuki smiled cheerfully, “I don't mind at all.” 

“Thank you, please excuse me,” Touka bowed politely, “I'll be back shortly.” 

– 

Eto smiled thoughtfully as the pretty young waitress disappeared from sight into the kitchen. She listened with half an ear as Shiono, her long time editor, continued to babble on about caffeine and the health benefits of switching to tea over coffee. She knew, despite all of his fussing, that Shiono would pay for whatever it was she ordered regardless if she followed his health advice. 

Instead of focusing on her editor, she sat back and cast her eye around the cafe. She had heard of this place, this spiritual successor to her father's cafe. Although she was never been to :re before, Eto knew she had found the right place instantly. 

The rumors were true. The Rabbits looked very much alike. 

In all honesty, Eto had originally made no plans to ever visit :re. But things had changed, and she decided to take a break from routine to settle her curiosity. The other ghoul group had certainly piqued her interest. They were, after all her father's legacy. Their desire for a ceasefire was not exactly unexpected; Anteiku was well known for keeping the peace when possible. 

But the Anteiku of today was different from how her father had run the organization. They were unafraid of confrontations with Aogiri, and (if Ayato was to be believed) willing to make risky moves involving the CCG. The present day Anteikuwas a far cry from Yoshimura's Anteiku. Eto's father was a runner—the current Anteiku did not run. 

Oh yes, Eto was curious. 

And she was not foolish in the slightest. She was unwilling to enter a meeting with another organization without any sort of reconnaissance being made. If Aogiri really was going to take Anteiku up on their offer for a ceasefire, then it was important for Eto to do her homework first. 

From behind the kitchen doors, Eto could hear voices talking. They weren't loud enough for poor human Shiono to hear, but the words came to Eto clearly. 

“—tsuki Sen,” the pretty waitress was saying smugly, obviously speaking with the cook. There was a soft clatter of metal on metal, as if something had been dropped in shock. 

“Really?!” a young man's voice squeaked out, excitement coloring his voice. Eto quickly covered up a smirk. Oh, she really did have a fan! How sweet. 

“Close your mouth, Haise,” the waitress ( _Kirishima_ —Eto's mind reminded her; the girl was Ayato's sister after all) teased gently, “You'll let flies in.” 

“But, Touka-chan, it's _Takatsuki-sensei!_ ” the cook, Haise, gushed, “She's not supposed to do a book signing for another month, and now she's here!” 

“Yes, yes, you nerd,” Kirishima sighed fondly, “Just finish plating that dessert, and go take a short break. Get a few books signed, I know you're dying to.” 

“Ah, thanks, Touka-chan,” the cook replied, sweet and shy, “Oh, um...how do I look?” 

“Like you bake for a living,” Kirishima responded dryly, “You have flour all over you—look there's some on your _face_!” 

“Ehhh?! Oh noooo...” 

Eto smothered a laugh. Oh yes, this meeting would be fun. 

It only took a few more minutes for Eto to realize how much _fun_ she would be having today. The kitchen door swung open, depositing not just Kirishima Touka, but a red-faced Kaneki Ken in a flour dusted apron. To top it all off, Kaneki was carrying a plate of tiny cakes in one hand. Eto couldn't help but smile. How absurd—an infamous One-Eyed Ghoul as a baker. It was just as unbelievable as a half-ghoul author. 

“Oh, are those my _petit fours_?” Eto clapped her hands eagerly, sliding easily into her cheerful public persona, “They look amazing!” 

– 

“I can't believe I got to meet Takatsuki-sensei today!” Haise sighed happily, for the sixth time tonight. Currently, Haise, Touka, and Hide were back at their apartment, relaxing on the couch. Haise had freshly signed copies of _Monochrome Rainbow_ and _The Hanged Man's McGuffin_ clutched in his hands, absentmindedly petting the covers. 

“I think you can put the books down now, man,” Hide laughed teasingly, “They're not going to run away.” 

“The copy of _Monochrome Rainbow_ will be for Hinami,” the half-ghoul mused to himself as he held out the two books, “And I'll give _The Hanged Man's McGuffin_ to Arima when he gets back from his mission. Hinami-chan is going to be so excited when I tell her. I can't believe I got to meet Takatsuki-sensei today!” 

Touka snickered as she poked Haise's flushed cheeks, “I don't think I've ever seen you this happy. If I had known seeing Takatsuki would get you like this, I would have taken you to a book signing ages ago. Why didn't you go to her last event?” 

“Oh,” Haise murmured before sobering. He went quiet for a moment, looking thoughtful as he looked back at the books in his hands. 

“To be honest, I was worried,” Kaneki confessed, a rueful smile on his lips, “Back...before, you know, um, :re and the fall of Anteiku, Hinami-chan and I went to a book-signing. Part of me was always worried that Takatsuki-sensei would _recognize_ us. It could have been dangerous.” 

“She didn't seem to recognize you today,” Touka pointed out. Kaneki nodded. 

“Well, she is a famous author,” Kaneki shrugged, reasoning it out, “She probably sees countless fans at those events. All those people must run together. It would have been silly to think that she would have recognized me after that one time.” 

“Good for you, eh?” Hide grinned, patting his oldest friend on the back, “I'm glad. You seem pretty happy.” 

“Yeah,” Kaneki agreed, a faint smile on his face, “I can't believe I got to meet Takatsuki-sensei today.” 

– 

Eto returned to Rushima later than she expected. The sun had already begun to set, reddish gold light transforming the serviceable gray concrete of Aogiri's base into something almost beautiful. Tatara was waiting for her, his posture rigid and stoic as always. If she had been anyone else, she would have felt guilty for being distracted by the conversation and delicious cakes at :re. But seeing as she was who she was, Eto merely waved at Tatara, her mind still half preoccupied with all that she had learned and the sweet taste of :re's cakes. 

“You missed the meeting,” Tatara informed her blandly. There was no accusation in his voice; he was simply stating a fact. 

“I doubt I missed anything important,” Eto shrugged. He raised a single brow. 

“We were voting on if we should meet with Anteiku,” Tatara reminded her, “Without your vote, we were deadlocked.” 

“Really?” Eto laughed, “I thought the decision would have already been made. Without me there are an odd number of votes.” 

“Noro abstained,” Tatara informed her. Eto laughed again. Of course Noro abstained. 

“So you waited for me? You really like to put me under all the pressure,” Eto teased, “Well, then, I suggest you contact Nico again. We'll be meeting with Anteiku.” 

Despite the mask that covered half of his face, Tatara was unable to hide his surprise. Clearly he had been expecting a different response. 

“Why?” he asked, “I thought you were uninterested in entertaining Anteiku.” 

Eto grinned, part devilish trickster, part hopeful sprite, “I saw something today. Call it a spark of...inspiration.” 

– 

Finally, after over a week of waiting, Nico contacted :re. Aogiri had agreed to meet with Anteiku. Nico, as moderator, set up a time and a place for the two organizations to meet. The meeting was to take place in a few weeks. Enough time to get ready. Not enough time to plan for everything. 

Predictably, on Anteiku's side there was a flurry of activity. Various preparations were being made, including writing up modified versions of Kimi and Nishiki's notes to bring to the meeting. Everyone was busy training. The usual sparring sessions had increased in volume, and everyone was poring over the blueprints for the meeting's location, trying to memorize exits and vulnerabilities. 

Both Kaneki and Hide had to commend Nico on his choice for the location. It was going to take place in an old school building, long since abandoned and due to be torn down in a few months. The actual meeting would take place in one of the smaller classrooms, restricting the number of people that could be in the heart of the meeting. The hallways of the building were relatively narrow, further reducing the effectiveness of Aogiri's sheer numbers. Even with these advantages, Aogiri's numbers and sheer fire-power were worrisome. The number of S-ranks and higher in their ranks had only grown over the years. 

Despite the tension building among the members of Anteiku, there was still the usual day to day work to address. While they had decided to close shop on the day of the meeting, until then, :re still had to open for business. And for Hide, that meant going into the office and listening in on the CCG's plans. 

Luckily, the CCG's counter Anteiku task force was still working with minimal clues. In typical cases, investigators followed a ghoul's eating habits. More often than not, patterns emerged when looking at how a ghoul hunted and ate humans. But, since Anteiku's existence was discovered outside of a crime scene with a human victim, there was no unique feeding pattern to observe. 

Hide knew the truth, of course. The CCG should have been watching suicide spots, hospitals, and morgues. Hide actually knew of a clinic a few blocks down from the CCG main office with the most lax security he had ever seen. No one ever noticed when he sneaked in, grabbed of few bags of blood, and popped out. Hey, his roommates often when grocery shopping for him, it was only fair that Hide returned the favor once and awhile. 

Maybe it wasn't very ethical, but Hide ignored the guilt with the ease of practice. 

Speaking of unethical practices...time to lie to Akira's face. 

“Hey, Akira?” Hide began, trying not to fidget, “I'm going to take some time off soon.” 

Akira looked over at him curiously. The squad's weekly meeting at CCG headquarters was just wrapping up, leaving Hide and Akira with some time to talk. 

“You do remember that you're supposed to schedule vacations at the end of the previous month, correct?” she reminded him. 

Hide winced, pushing away the touch of guilt as lies spewed from his mouth, “I know, I know, but it's an emergency. Our landlord is being a dick about our lease, and he refuses to renegotiate unless all three of us, Touka, Haise, and myself, are there. Come on, Akira, I don't wanna be homeless!” 

“You know you could always live at one of the apartments owned by the CCG,” Akira pointed out dryly, “It would be much cheaper for you, and they're far more understanding about investigators' odd schedules and needs. Most of the tenants are CCG and their families, so you would know your neighbors.” 

_'And Touka would kill me if I suggested we go live in a Dove's nest,'_ Hide thought to himself. 

Out loud, he laughed jovially, “Are you kidding? I've seen the kitchens in those places. Haise would cry at how tiny they are. Do you want Haise to cry?” 

Akira snorted in disbelief, “You and Touka, I swear. You treat Haise like he's fragile. He's much stronger than that.” 

How right and how wrong Akira was. 

Hide quickly smothered the dark look that threatened to bloom across his features. Within Hide's mind was a memory of a dank sewer and a maddened ghoul with a hole in his gut. Nonsense, screams, and pleas had echoed across slimy walls, the once gentle voice distorted with agony. And yet, despite the grave wounds that diminished the kakuja, wildly strong kagune had lashed out across thick stone, gouging deep scars into the walls. Hide had never been so terrified in his life. 

Instead of giving her a peek under his mask, Hide smiled widely at Akira, comfortable being an actor playing a part. 

“Yeah, yeah, but a happy cook in the house means better dinners,” Hide explained flippantly, “Touka-chan deserves delicious dinners. And me as well, of course.” 

Akira rolled her eyes, “You're so spoiled. Very well, I suppose you've given us enough notice. You don't have to come in on that day.” 

“Yes!” Hide cheered, pumping his fist. 

“Don't think I'm doing this for you, Nagachika,” Akira snorted, prodding his chest with an imperious finger, “This is for Haise and Touka.” 

“Of course,” Hide nodded enthusiastically. 

“And you are to remain on call, just in case,” Akira continued, “If something comes up, you better answer your phone.” 

“Will do, boss,” Hide saluted lazily with a cheery grin plastered on his face. Akira nodded, and the pair left to meet up with the rest of their squad. The day proceeded normally with no unexpected surprises. 

Before leaving work, Hide went into the CCG archives and nabbed a few files on prominent Aogiri members. On his way home, he also nicked a few blood bags from the clinic. Hide whistled to himself as he stuffed the stolen blood into his briefcase. Once upon a time, he might have despaired at having grown up to be a thief and a liar. 

Nowadays, he looks in the mirror, and tells himself a single bitter truth. Everyone is guilty of something. 

– 

When Hide returned home, he found both of his roommates in the kitchen. 

Touka was carefully labeling a package of meat. She made the last few strokes of her pen, and chucked the package in the fridge. She gave the fridge's contents one last look. Half of the contents were ordinary items: milk, eggs, vegetables, and a bottle of that juice Hide liked. The other half, carefully partitioned away from the rest with a plastic divider, was filled with blood bags and brown paper packages marked with a bold note, “Hide Don't Eat!” 

“We should get another refrigerator,” Kaneki grumbled as he peeked over her shoulder to stare at the meat packages, “It's a wonder we haven't had problems with cross contamination yet.” 

“You mean besides that burger accident during our first month living together?” Hide quipped, as he pulled out the blood bags he brought and handed them over to Touka, “You worry too much. Ever since that, the partition and labeling has worked so far, right? That and not letting me prepare dinner anymore.” 

“Maybe the next time Hide brings in a big bounty or if we get a large catering job, we can get a second one,” Touka suggested as she put the blood inside the fridge and closed door, “Well, that's the last of it. I know it's a bigger stockpile than we usually keep around, but just in case something goes wrong with Aogiri...” 

“Always be prepared,” Hide agreed, “If there's any extra we can always share with the others.” 

“Ugh, I'm so nervous,” Touka confessed as the trio headed over to the couch, “I hope everything goes well.” 

“Hope for the best, prepare for the worst,” Kaneki shrugged. 

“Speaking of preparing, I got those dossiers you wanted, Kaneki,” Hide said as he pulled out the mentioned files, “Ta-da! Info on all the prominent Aogiri members known to the CCG.” 

There were 8 files in total: Tatara, Noro, Naki, Eto, Three Blades, Black Rabbit, One-Eyed Owl, and of course, the One-Eyed King. Of the 8 files, Hide picked up the one for the One-Eyed King and tossed it to the side. 

“Don't bother reading this one,” Hide grumbled, “Most of it is just the CCG complaining about how they have no idea who the One-Eyed King is. The only information the CCG has is that the King is supposedly Aogiri's leader, and is a half-ghoul. There's a couple of theories floating around, the most prominent being that the One-Eyed King is either another name for the One-Eyed Owl, or doesn't even exist.” 

“What do you think about Aogiri's King, Hide?” Touka asked, familiar with her human roommate's sharp reasoning. 

Hide hummed thoughtfully, “Well, unlike most of the CCG, I don't think the One-Eyed Owl and the One-Eyed King are the same person. If the Owl and the King _are_ the same person, why not just reveal that they're the same person? Both Owl and the King are pretty up there in Aogiri's hierarchy, so it would just be simpler for them to consolidate power and announce that they're the same. And if Aogiri wanted to protect the King by using a fake name, why hide under the disguise of another powerful ghoul? It would be smarter to hide under the disguise of a weaker ghoul. Go under the radar so to speak. Really, it seems like the One-Eyed Owl is a giant red herring, meant to be a distraction to hide who the One-Eyed King really is.” 

“What about this one?” Kaneki mused, picking up the folder labeled “Eto,” “S-rank and an Aogiri executive. Powerful enough to have pull within Aogiri, but weak enough to hide the power of the One-Eyed King. Also...Nico mentioned her to me once. He said, 'the One-Eyed King might be the little girl in the bandages.'” 

“Possible,” Hide agreed, taking the folder from Kaneki and flipping through its contents, “We don't have enough information to be sure. In any case, I really doubt that the One-Eyed King will show up in person for our little meeting. We're a thorn in Aogiri's side, sure, but we're small potatoes compared to the CCG. The King has never been seen before. I doubt he'll waste his grand unveiling on us, especially since this meeting is supposed to be peaceful. That is, of course, if the King even exists.” 

“Ayato will probably be at the meeting,” Touka mused, trailing her fingers over her brother's file, “I'll be more shocked if he doesn't show up.” 

“They might send Three Blades,” Hide reasoned, tapping that folder, “She's strong, and pretty smart. And while it's not in the CCG files, Itori mentioned to me once that Three Blades controls the 18th Ward for Aogiri. She'd be a good pick for them.” 

“She's also a relatively new addition to Aogiri,” Kaneki murmured, his gray eyes focused, “Aogiri will send in someone more experienced to represent the bottom line. Ayato is a little young to fill that role, so they'll send someone else. Some combination of Tatara, Noro, Naki, and/or Eto.” 

“Naki and Noro would work for muscle and intimidation factor,” Hide shrugged, “But they'd be terrible in actual talks. Hell, I don't think there's a single record of Noro actually _talking_. My bet is that they'd bring Naki, but leave him and the White Suits outside the actual meeting room to act as security. They might bring Noro or not, but he'd also be security.” 

“Naki's less likely,” Touka pointed out, “Nico put it in as part of the meeting rules that there is a cap of how many people we can each bring. Twenty per side.” 

“That's assuming Aogiri plays by the rules,” Kaneki pointed out. 

“Regardless if they bring twenty or a hundred, their numbers will be mitigated a bit by the layout of the place,” Hide shrugged, “And with the cap being twenty, that still leaves room for both Aogiri and us to have small squads outside the meeting room. The room itself can't hold 40 people.” 

“True,” Kaneki nodded, “Let's assume that Naki will be placed on the outside with a team of 10 to 15. So that leaves Tatara and Eto as Aogiri's bottom line representatives inside the actual meeting room. I'm thinking that it will Tatara.” 

“Bet you a new set of headphones that it'll be Eto,” Hide singsonged. Kaneki laughed softly. 

“You'll be the one buying me the new Takatsuki Sen novel when Tatara is there,” Kaneki returned in good humor. 

“Oh, come on, she hasn't even released it yet!” Hide complained. 

“Sounds like you're already conceding to Kaneki,” Touka teased. Hide snorted. 

“Hell no, I'm getting my headphones,” Hide declared, jabbing a finger in Kaneki's direction, “You're on.” 

Kaneki flashed a quick smile before sobering. 

“So, we'll probably see Ayato, Miza, and either Eto or Tatara actually in the meeting, with Naki and the White Suits on the outside playing security,” Kaneki mused, laying out the corresponding folders, “I think they might bring in Noro as another heavy hitter with them to the actual meeting. He won't be there to speak, but he'll be a good bodyguard.” 

“Either Noro or the One-Eyed Owl,” Hide pointed out, “SS+ rate or a SSS rate. No one from Aogiri will be less than S rate. That's a lot more fire-power than we're used to dealing with. Assuming they do bring four people in with them to the actual meeting, we might want to stack our deck. We should have 6, maybe 7 people in with us.” 

“Obviously us three,” Touka said. Kaneki frowned, glancing sideways at Hide. It wasn't a secret that the half-ghoul had reservations about bringing the human along to the meeting. They had already argued about it earlier. Hide had easily batted away any worry that Kaneki brought up. The blond argued that they were doing now wasn't any more dangerous than his actual _job._ Besides, brokering a cease-fire with Aogiri was Hide's idea. He had to go. And with Touka backing Hide up, Kaneki's concerns were overruled. 

“Yomo and Nishio-sempai,” Kaneki murmured, swallowing his unease about bringing Hide along, “And Tsukiyama.” 

“Not Banjou?” Hide blinked, surprised, “If there's a fight, Banjou's unique ability would be really useful.” 

“His Gas Masks group has been growing recently,” Kaneki said, looking thoughtful, “I want him and his gang to be on the outside to counteract Naki. Also, we might be able to play it off that we just hired Banjou's group as extra security. Just in case things go wrong, Banjou and his people will be able to avoid any fall out from being associated with Anteiku.” 

“Fair,” Hide agreed, “Though I do wish that you wouldn't be so pessimistic about meeting with Aogiri.” 

“Just being cautious,” Kaneki shrugged, “Unexpected surprises are the worst.” 

– 

Elsewhere in Tokyo, Nico was also busy preparing for the upcoming meeting between Anteiku and Aogiri. He had been chosen to act as the meeting moderator, and he had plenty to do in preparation. 

Nico pursed his lips as he inspected his reflection in the mirror. The shirt he was wearing was a nice fit with a _wonderful_ plunging neckline, but the color...too drab, too somber. He wasn't planning on going to a funeral after all. The meeting between Aogiri and Anteiku was bound to be a memorable event. If Nico was to attend as a moderator, then he best look spectacular. 

Ah, perhaps just the right accessories would bring some life to this outfit—jewelry was a must. 

A faint knock on his window broke Nico out of his musings just as he was fiddling with a gold chain. Turning to look, he was pleased to recognize the person waving on the other side of the glass—a fellow Clown. Nico promptly opened the window to let the other in. 

“Nice outfit,” Nico's visitor complemented, “Special occasion coming up?” 

“You might say that. And look at you, you charmer!” Nico teased as the other Clown finished climbing through the window and brushed imaginary lint off of a slightly wrinkled suit, “Coming through the window? How romantic, Souta-kun.” 

The younger Clown giggled, the sound echoing oddly in the mask he wore. 

“Well you know me, Onee-chan,” Souta replied flippantly, his tone light and playful, “I'm a heart-breaker.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am questioning the wisdom in bringing in Fruit-chan. He ruins everything. ~~Which is why he is fun.~~
> 
> Sorry for taking freakishly long this time around. I don't really have a set schedule for writing, and before I knew it, time slipped away from me.  
> And I'm really terrible at replying to comments on AO3. I do read all of them, and I appreciate each one, even if I don't reply to all of them. Thank you everyone for supporting me. It means a lot.
> 
> Also, I wrote a few omake for this chapter. They're available on my tumblr. Here are the links:
> 
> http://notitlesapply.tumblr.com/post/150423809988/scenes-that-didnt-make-it-into-apof-16  
> http://notitlesapply.tumblr.com/post/150422977298/


	17. Class

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “How do we know it's not fake?” Touka cut in, her voice laced with skepticism. Some of the tension left Kaneki's shoulders as her words grounded him. He nodded to her. Ever practical Touka coming to the rescue.  
> Eto's smile shifted, turning both a little softer and a little more smug, “We could ask you the same thing, Anteiku. But that's how these ceasefires work—trust.”

The day of the meeting came sooner than anyone really liked. As they had discussed earlier, Anteiku split their group into two parts: a small group that would meet with Aogiri’s leaders, and a security group lead by Banjou. Some small part of Hide’s mind was laughing helplessly about how ridiculous they all looked. A group of masked individuals milling around an abandoned schoolyard—it was a scene straight out of a badly written movie. 

Even Hide was wearing a mask. Kaneki had to (reluctantly) admit it was hard to tell that Hide wasn’t a ghoul. The blond was dressed in a dark hooded jacket to cover his hair, heavy motorcycle gloves, and a pair of charcoal jeans. A heavy gas mask etched with the number “33” completed the outfit. The whole ensemble was borrowed to hide his human scent, and when he stood together with Banjou and the rest of the Gas Masks, the human completely blended in. 

The Anteiku group arrived at the appointed location, and were immediately welcomed by Nico. Nico, dressed in a silk shirt, glitzy gold jewelry, and a grinning Clown mask, was accompanied by another Clown: a smirking young woman in a Clown half-mask. The woman blew kisses at Kaneki, which the half-ghoul ignored. Touka muttered something inaudible under her breath when she saw the woman; the female Clown was someone she recognized. Hide made a mental note to ask her about it later.

“Nico,” Kaneki nodded to the event organizer in greeting, “Are we late?”

“Early actually,” Nico corrected, as he cast a critical eye over the group. “Aogiri isn’t here yet. And you brought more people than I expected.”

“The Gas Masks were willing to play security for us,” Kaneki replied, exchanging small nods of acknowledgment with Banjou, “since Aogiri will no doubt bring the White Suits.”

“How lovely,” Nico murmured, “Bothersome though. We won’t be able to fit everyone in the meeting room. Pick a core group of five to come in. The rest will have to wander the corridors.” The unspoken “and stay out of trouble” hung heavy in the air, rotting like a lie.

Kaneki bit his lip, the action hidden by his mask. They had expected to be able to take six people into the meeting. Before he could decide who would stay out with Banjou, Hide clapped his shoulder, startling him out of his thoughts.

“Take Touka, Yomo, Nishio, and rich boy with you,” Hide murmured quietly in Kaneki’s ear, “I’ll be good out here with Banjou.”

Kaneki frowned, but didn’t bother with even a token form of protest. It was a reasonable solution. And Hide was already dressed as a member of the Gas Masks. Kaneki nodded in agreement.

“Guess we just have to wait for Aogiri,” Touka muttered, crossing her arms as if irritated. Only the slight clench of her fingers over the beige of her coat betrayed her unease.

“We can get you set up in the meantime,” Nico shrugged before gesturing to the other Clown, “Roma will help you get situated. Keep your guard dogs outside.”

Kaneki patted Banjou once on the shoulder, before the core Anteiku group split off, and followed Roma past a doorway.

The meeting was to take place in a small classroom. Most of the old desks were shoved to the sides of the room in haphazard heaps, the wood rotten and the metal bent. Nico was able to scrounge up a small table to sit in the middle of the room for the meeting. It was too small to seat everyone; only five chairs were pulled around it. Two seats for Anteiku, two for Aogiri, and one for Nico, the moderator. After a quickly murmured conversation, Touka, and Kaneki took the seats, while Yomo, Tsukiyama, and Nishiki took spots standing behind them.

Time to wait.

And wait.

…And wait. Touka was _furious._ She had long abandoned her chair, stomping around the room in frustration. Low hisses and half-formed curses followed her wake. Fucking Aogiri. Who do they think they were, making them wait? Assholes. Did they know how much money :re was loosing by being closed for the day?!

The others ignored her growling. Both Tsukiyama and Yomo had brought out their phones to start typing out drafts to their blogs; Yomo’s draft was noticeably shorter than Tsukiyama’s, the silver-haired ghoul taking more time to hunt down the proper keys on his device. Meanwhile, Kaneki was rereading _Dear Kafka,_ and Nishiki had a notebook in hand, the pages filled with equations and messy notations written in both his and Kimi’s handwriting.

“What the _fuck_ is taking them so long?!” Touka shouted, the voice changer in her mask crackling slightly.

Roma’s hands came up in a mock placating gesture, “Maa maa, Rabbit-chan. I’m sure—”

“I’m sure that they’re fucking dicks!” Touka exploded, ignoring the Clown’s smirking grin as she slammed her hands against the table, “We’ve been waiting for over three hours! They’re the ones that set the time! They should be able to keep to the shitty schedule!”

Kaneki sighed, “Rabbit…”

Just then, the door swung open. The Aogiri delegation had arrived.

–

Aogiri and Anteiku were not the only ones invested in the outcome of their peace treaty. The Clowns were _quite_ interested in what was going on, though each had different views on the event. One in particular, had less than healthy interest in the events going on in the abandoned school house.

Souta giggled playfully to himself as he sat on the rooftop of a nearby building. From this distance away, the figures below were small, but he saw enough to recognize the ghouls entering the building now.

Aogiri.

“Huh, looks like something interesting is going on,” Souta hummed as he watched the ghouls mill around down below, “Onee-chan wasn’t kidding when he said that there was a special occasion! Maaaaaaan, I hope everything goes smoothly for them. It would be a shame if someone _crashed their party._ ”

Souta snickered to himself as he pulled out his cellphone and flipped it over in his hands. He tipped his mask away and pushed back his hair, instantly sliding into another skin. It was as easy as putting on a new shirt. He quickly punched in a number, and brought the device to his ear.

“ _Rank 1 Furuta!”_ the voice on the other side of the phone scolded when it picked up, “ _You’re late! Where are you?”_

Furuta Nimura, Rank 1 ghoul investigator of the CCG, quickly adapted a fearful face, fake sobbing into the phone, “Kijima-san, thank goodness! You need to send help! You won’t believe what I just heard…”

–

The advantage of being stationed outside of the meeting room meant that Hide got a good look at the Aogiri delegation before Hide and Touka did. As they had predicted, the White Suits made up the bulk of the group, though there were far less of them than expected. There were a few others, namely Aogiri executives and even some random low level members, such as Torso. Nico met with the group, and as he had with Anteiku, only allowed five people in.

Hide silently assessed each member of Aogiri’s main delegation, careful to play the part of a faceless grunt. As expected, both Ayato and Miza were part of the lineup. Noro trailed in their wake, a dark silent shadow. Eto skipped next to him. Hide would have felt gleefully proud of guessing correctly at Eto’s presence, but… 

Hide thought that Naki would take the fifth spot. He was wrong. Eto’s bandaged fingers beckoned over a dark clad figure. Hide almost choked when he saw the pale face under the dark hood. The blond had to bite his tongue before a name dared slip past his lips.

Takizawa Seidou.

His hair was stark white and overgrown—unkempt. He looked sick, his skin sagging and cracked, and his lips were blackened. There were dark circles around his bloodshot eyes, and he blinked once to briefly reveal a single startling kakugan. But despite all the physical changes, it was obviously Rank 2 Takizawa Seidou, one of the many investigators to have fallen during the Anteiku Raid.

Apparently, the rumors of Kanou’s continued experiments were true.

Beside Hide, Banjou also stiffened at the sight of Takizawa, though Hide suspected it was because Banjou was surprised to see a half-ghoul with Aogiri. But for Hide…he had known Takizawa. They had shared meals together. And, besides that Hide knew how much Akira had mourned Takizawa’s death. Everyone knew.

How would Akira react if she saw Takizawa now?

“Let’s get started,” Nico announced, as he led the group inside the meeting room, leaving Banjou, Hide, and the Gas Masks alone with Naki and the rest of Aogiri’s forces.

–

Back in Ward 1, the Anti-Anteiku strike force were gathered for their weekly meeting. However, the room was strangely sparse for the day with only Special Class Marude and part of the Mado squad in attendance.

“Where is everyone?” Mutsuki asked, looking around the conference room curiously.

“Papa is with Mama and Maman today,” Saiko offered, not even looking up from her handheld as she replied. 

“Nagachika is working out a deal with his landlord,” Akira elaborated, “Suzuya squad and Hirako squad are on assignment.”

“They’re assigned to Anteiku, same as us,” Urie murmured, his eyes narrowing suspiciously, “What (special) assignment are they on? (It’s probably more interesting than this shit.)”

“Washuu Matsuri needed extra bodies for his raid,” Marude grumbled, clearly irritated, “Little brat. I was lucky to be left with anyone, so you guys better work extra hard today!”

Mutsuki and Akira straightened, taking Marude’s words seriously, though Saiko and Shirazu  both slumped in their chairs, uneasy. Urie merely turned his head, muttering to himself again.

Work extra hard? With what? They had no leads. Today was going to be pointless—time would be wasted running in circles instead of doing something meaningful like working towards an important promotion. Going on a raid sounded much more productive.

“Mado,” Marude said, turning towards the squad leader, “Give me the run down on what we have with Anteiku.”

“There’s not much, I’m afraid,” Akira sighed, the corners of her eyes tightening with frustration, “We’re not even sure what is their territory. While they’ve traditionally been active in the 20th Ward, Shirazu and Urie encountered them outside of there.” 

“The only lead we have on them is the research that Kamii University group was working on,” Urie grumbled, “It’s been (useless) frustrating so far.”

“Speaking of that research, Dr. Chigyou is very interested in it,” Marude said, “Any luck on getting your hands on it?”

Akira barely held in her huff of frustration, “The only known hard copy of the notes were stolen from Nishino Kimi’s apartment. We assume that Anteiku has them. 

“Of the research group, only three survived Aogiri’s attack,” Akira continued, rattling off further info, “Nishino Kimi and Kita Heiji, graduate students attached to the project, were injured. The professor leading the research, Terada-sensei, was captured by Aogiri. However, I believe he has already been killed.”

Marude looked up sharply at her assessment, “Explain.”

“Because according to our resources, it was Nishino, not Terada, who was the brain behind the RC-cell research,” Akira replied, “Terada is useless to Aogiri.”

“Nishino is the real prize,” Marude summarized, nodding thoughtfully, “She survived the attack. Why don’t we have her under CCG protection?”

“She has a (pain in the ass) benefactor,” Urie answered, the corners of his lips tight, “(He’s a suspicious bastard.)”

“Tsukiyama Shuu,” Akira sighed, tapping her notes against the table. “His lawyers are working quite hard to keep Nishino’s research under wraps. They claim they’re protecting patents. I think his company wants to trademark Nishino’s work. And ever since she left the hospital, Tsukiyama’s people have been quite zealous in keeping us away from Nishino.”

“Heh,” Marude snorted, “Dr. Chigyou has made it no secret that he wants to study Kamii University’s RC-cell research. He is—”

Suddenly the door burst open with a loud bang. Everyone’s heads turned towards the noise, their eyes landing on a pale junior investigator panting against the doorjamb. 

“What’s the meaning of this?!” Marude roared, furious with the interruption, “ This is a—”

“I’m sorry, sir, but this is important!” the newcomer gasped out as he held out a slip of paper in a shaking hand, “We just got a report in. Anteiku and Aogiri—we know where they are!”

–

“You’re late,” Touka sneered as the Aogiri delegation settled in. She took her seat next to Kaneki, pointedly not looking at Ayato as her brother walked in. Beneath the table, Kaneki cracked the joints of his fingers, his kakugan unconsciously flaring to life. Touka sat straight and proud, like a regal statue. No weakness. They couldn’t afford to show weakness here.

“So sorry,” Eto laughed, not sounding sorry at all as she and Miza took the chairs across from Anteiku. Noro, Ayato, and an unfamiliar white-haired ghoul took standing positions behind them.

Nico clapped his hands together, his Clown mask looking far to cheery for the tension clogging the room.

“How about some introductions, yes?” the Clown suggested in a bright tone, “On Anteiku’s side, we have our dear Eyepatch, Rabbit-chan, Serpent, Raven-kun, and darling Gourmet. From Aogiri, sweet Eto-chan, Three Blades, Noro-san, Rabbit-chan—oh my. That’s going to be confusing.”

“Deal with it,” the Kirishima siblings snorted in stereo. Ayato startled badly, his head whipping around to glare at his sister; she ignored him, but the faint sound of her molars grinding together belied her frustration.

Nico cleared his throat awkwardly before moving on to point at the stranger with Aogiri, “And last, we have—oh dear, I haven’t gotten your name.”

The strange white-haired ghoul flashed a grimacing smile, the skin of his darkened lips cracking slightly.

“Owl,” he rasped out.

Kaneki’s eyes darted to Owl in surprise. Owl? As in One-Eyed Owl? He had given the name in the wrong language, but…

“Liar,” came a soft murmur from Yomo.

“No. Just not what you expect,” Eto countered, smiling up at Yomo’s masked face, “Isn’t that right, Yomo _Renji_?”

Touka hissed softly under her breath. The tension in the room seemed to increase three-fold, so thick it was like breathing in smog.

“You’re breaking protocol, Aogiri. Aliases only.” Kaneki growled, trying to mask how on edge everyone on Anteiku’s side of the table was. They had guessed awhile ago that Aogiri knew all of their names, but to hear it come from Eto’s mouth so _casually_ …

Aogiri was trying to throw them off. Kaneki grit his teeth together. He refused to allow them that power. He locked eyes with Eto firmly, a silent battle of wills. He wasn’t that scared little human that Aogiri had tossed oh so carelessly to Jason. He wasn’t.

They stared at each other for a few moments longer, before Eto dipped her head to him with a wide smile. It didn’t quite feel like a victory. More like watching an amused parent applauding a child’s small achievement.

“My apologies,” Eto offered, putting in a touch of effort to sound sincere. Kaneki accepted it, and attempted to relax his shoulders. He may or may not have failed.

“Are we to assume that Naki and the White Suits are waiting outside the door?” Kaneki drawled, tapping his fingers against the table. Eto chuckled in response.

“Oh yes, just as you have placed the Gas Masks out there as well,” the bandaged Aogiri member countered, “I’ll admit, I’m surprised. I didn’t know they were allied with you.”

“They were hired,” Kaneki lied, “I’m not stupid. You have advantages in number.”

Eto smiled again, “Such little trust in us. We followed the rules for how many men we were allowed to bring.”

“Not that Aogiri had much choice,” Nico chimed in, surprising everyone else, “Your people were contracted to provide security for Big Madam’s Auction. Most of your forces must be there.”

Kaneki stared at the Clown in surprise. It was rare to receive information for free, and judging by the pinched look on Miza’s face, Nico’s words were accurate. Kaneki didn’t know why Aogiri was willing to split their forces to this degree, but it was to Anteiku’s advantage. Anteiku didn’t have to worry about Aogiri calling in reinforcements any time soon. 

After a moment of awkward silence, Nico cleared his throat to draw everyone’s attention.

“Let’s get down to business, shall we?” 

–

Meanwhile, right outside of the meeting room, the introductions between the White Suits and the Gas Masks were going far more smoothly. It was pretty easy to identify people, when half of the crowd was wearing masks that were plastered with the number they went by.

For the most part, everyone outside of the meeting was rather…bored. There wasn’t a fight to be had, so Naki and his White Suits were restless. But it was obvious they weren’t going to start anything unless something happened. Banjou was a cautious sort, and wasn’t prone to making trouble. 

Really the only thing interesting that had happened was when Hide’s phone went off during the introductions, but luckily, no one had complained. Even so, Hide turned a bright red under his mask when the Backstreet Boys started crooning through his phone’s speakers. The jaunty tune was hardly an appropriate soundtrack to a meeting filled with ghouls.

“Sorry,” Hide mumbled, acting out the part of the apologetic underling. He was supposed to go unnoticed, damn it. 

Speaking of unnoticed underlings…Aogiri had brought other grunts than just the White Suits. There were a few unremarkable fellows in the standard Aogiri cloak and mask, but there was also a reedy individual that was all too familiar to Hide.

Torso.

Hide glanced over at Torso subtly. The gangling ghoul was quiet, unobtrusive—just another Aogiri grunt. Part of Hide was glad that Nishiki was inside the meeting room, and thus wasn’t around when Aogiri came in. If Nishiki knew that Torso was here, things wouldn’t be so quiet. Idly, Hide began planning on how to keep Nishiki away from Torso—not because he liked the Aogiri bastard, but rather because Hide wanted this ceasefire to work. Nishiki caving in Torso’s face would hardly keep the peace, even if it would make everyone feel better.

Hide tried not to think of Kimi, currently wheelchair-bound, or of the bruises that had graced Mutsuki’s face. Revenge would be satisfying, but useless. Or so he kept telling himself.

Suddenly, Hide’s phone went off again, cheery English lyrics filling the hallway. It instantly snapped him out of his morose thoughts.

“Ah sorry, sorry,” Hide yelped, swiping his phone off again. There were a few snickers, but otherwise, he was ignored.

–

Akira growled as her phone call with her vice captain went to voicemail. Again.

“Hide’s still not picking up?” Shirazu asked needlessly.

Akira huffed in annoyance, “He promised to answer my calls.”

She looked up at her squad. Shirazu was helping Saiko adjust the straps on her CCG standard armor. Everyone else was already dressed in raid gear, quinques nearby and ready. This was going to be their first raid. For a second there was pressure in Akira’s chest. It was pride and fear, all mixed together into a poisonous cocktail.

Her squad mates (her children) were growing up.

“Transport is ready,” Mutsuki announced meekly. Akira tipped her head in acknowledgment.

“Understood,” Akira sighed, “Mutsuki, make sure we bring Nagachika’s gear. With luck he can still meet us there.”

–

The meeting between Aogiri and Anteiku was going…fine, Kaneki supposed. After the less than warm introductions, Nico had swiftly taken over. The Clown was going over the laundry list of demands from each side. Aogiri wanted the rest of the research on RC-cells that Anteiku had taken from Kimi’s apartment. Anteiku wanted Aogiri to back off from their territory. When Nico said it, it sounded so simple.

“Where’s the research?” Miza asked bluntly as soon as Nico finished listing off both sides’ terms. Kaneki gestured silently to Nishiki, who withdrew a battered folder from within his coat. Nishiki tossed the thing onto the table with a hint of disgust. A few of the papers, bloodstained and grimy, slid out and scattered across the surface.

Unperturbed, Eto gathered the papers and started flipping through them. After a few minutes, she tapped the papers against the table, passed them to Miza, and looked up at the Anteiku delegation. Despite the bandages covering her face, her frown was clearly visible.

“Where is the rest of it?” she demanded.

“That is all the notes we recovered from Nishino’s apartment,” Kaneki grunted back. It wasn’t a lie. Every scrap of paper Anteiku recovered from Kimi’s place was there. It wasn’t their fault if the pages were smudged and dirty from the fight that had taken place.

(It was their fault if the papers were further wrecked _after,_ but Aogiri didn’t need to know that.)

To be fair, there was a good deal of information there—Anteiku couldn’t afford to make it completely useless, or else Aogiri would never agree to the ceasefire. But it would take Aogiri and Kanou time to decipher it all.

“I’m not an expert, but it _looks_ like there’s something in here that the doctor could use,” Miza rationalized as she too peered through the documents, “I can make out a few formulas…”

Eto hummed, tapping her fingers against her chin, “True. The good doctor is a genius after all. But…this isn’t all the research you have, Anteiku.”

Touka snarled, her hands curling up into tight fists, “Do you think we’re _lying?_ What do we have to gain—”

Eto laughed sharply, cutting Touka off, “Oh no, no, White Rabbit. I believe that these _are_ all the notes from Nishino’s apartment. I _don’t_ believe this is all the RC-cell research you have.”

Smirking, her gaze slid upwards to lock into Nishiki, a silent challenge in her eyes.

Eto’s voice was like poisoned honey as she continued, “Nishino would have shared some of her thoughts and ideas with her fiance, who was known to be a gifted pharma—” 

“ _Shut the fuck up!_ ” Nishiki snarled, his temper snapping. Tsukiyama, ever the calm one, grabbed Nishiki’s wrist, and quickly whispered placating words into Nishiki’s ear. Nishiki hissed like the serpent he was named for, fury radiating from him, but he took a step back and shut up. Eto smiled, and ignored his rage as if it didn’t exist. Instead, she turned all of her attention to Kaneki.

“We have a counter proposal,” Eto began smoothly, holding a hand up. Wordlessly, Noro reached into his coat and placed a thick folder into Eto’s waiting hand. 

“You give us the rest of the Kamii University research and we’ll give you this,” Eto offered, her wicked smile still visible behind the bandages, “And before you ask—it’s Kanou’s research on ghoulification. Don’t you want it…Ka-ne-ki~?”

The reaction was instantaneous.

Kaneki was out of his chair, his one visible eye wide, his whole body taut like a thread about to snap. Once upon a time, Kaneki had hunted Kanou down for answers only to receive nothing. Perhaps having access to Kanou’s notes would give Kaneki something that he lacked for years:

Some closure.

“How do we know it’s not fake?” Touka cut in, her voice laced with skepticism. Some of the tension left Kaneki’s shoulders as her words grounded him. He nodded to her. Ever practical Touka coming to the rescue.

Eto’s smile shifted, turning both a little softer and a little more smug, “We could ask you the same thing, Anteiku. But that’s how these ceasefires work—trust.”

–

Naki was _bored._ So far, his orders had been to wait. Most of the White Suits were busy at the Auction, further irritating Naki. He didn’t like breaking up his gang, especially since he was assigned a few tagalongs, like Torso. Too bad Torso was a quiet guy, not interesting at all.

“ _Uuuuggh…”_ Naki groaned, as he slumped against the wall, “This is lame! Where’s the fight?”

All around him, his White Suits grumbled in agreement. The gas mask bastards that Anteiku brought shuffled nervously. Naki gave a quick glance to the Gas Masks’ leader—some tall beefy fucker that looked like a good fight. Not that Naki was allowed. Naki sighed and thumped his head into the wall in frustration. When he had heard that Aogiri was going to face off against Anteiku he thought there was going to be more action. Instead they were just…talking.

The only interesting thing that happened so far was how often what’s-his-face (Thirty-one…Thirty-two…No, Thirty- _three_ , that was it) had his phone go off in his pocket. The song it played was weird, the words complete gibberish to Naki.

Speaking of weird music, as if on cue—

“ _I want it that way~!”_

“Oh damn it!” Thirty-three cursed. He reached into his pocket to fish the device out, intending to turn it off.

“Just answer it,” Naki barked at the Gas Mask.

“Ah, ex-excuse me?” Thirty-three squeaked, clearly surprised by Naki addressing him.

“Look, someone wants to talk to you really badly,” Naki grumbled, “If they’re a friend, you shouldn’t ignore it.”

Thirty-three hesitated as his phone continued to ring in his hand. He gave the screen a quick glance, clearly torn.

“If you go to the next hall over, none of us will be able to hear you,” the Gas Mask’s beefy fucker of a leader offered, “Provided of course, no one has Hinami’s sensing talents…”

Naki snorted, “None of my guys will eavesdrop on your convolation. That’s not cool.”

Thirty-three tilted his head in curiosity, “You mean, ‘conversation’?”

As soon as the words left his mouth, he slapped a hand over his gas mask, clearly embarrassed. Naki smirked. Yeah, he’d be embarrassed too if he didn’t know what a convolation was.

“Just get outta here,” Naki snickered. Thirty-three gave a quick bow, and quickly scuttled out.

Naki shook his head as he glanced over at the Gas Mask’s leader, “Man, beefy fucker, you got yourself some weird ones.”

The other ghoul laughed, a hint of nervousness in his voice, “You have no idea.”

–

Akira was honestly surprised when after the tenth failed time she tried to reach him, Hide called her back.

“Nagachika Hideyoshi!” Akira snapped as soon as the line connected, “You are in so much trouble!”

“ _Look, I’m sorry,”_ Hide mumbled into his phone, obviously trying to keep his voice low, _“The, um, landlord—we’re in really intense negotiations right now. Can this be short?”_

If it had been any other time, Akira would have felt a touch of sympathy for her vice captain. Today, however, Akira didn’t have time to deal with his problems.

“Don’t you dare skip out on me,” Akira’s voice hissed into the receiver furiously, “Your lease agreement is not nearly as important as this.”

There was a brief pause before Hide sighed in resignation, _“Okay, what’s going on?”_

“We’ve called in effective immediately,” Akira explained quickly, stress coloring her voice, “If you had picked up your phone earlier when I first called, you would have been able to meet us at headquarters, but I guess you’re going to have to meet us at the raid site.”

“ _Wait, what? What raid?”_ Hide yelped, his voice a few octaves higher than usual.

“Pay attention, Nagachika!” Akira barked, needing her vice-captain to focus, “We received a tip a few hours ago—it’s an opportunity we can’t afford to miss. Five squads have already been dispatched.”

“ _An…an opportunity?”_ Hide croaked out, though there was a note in his voice that suggested he already knew what Akira was going to say. 

Akira confirmed his thoughts, “Top members of both Anteiku and Aogiri are meeting right now.  ETA for the first assault group is under 10 minutes. Wave two will follow about 15 minutes after. I’ll send you the coordinates. Now get your ass down here!”

“ _Wha…Wait, Akira!”_ Hide squeaked, clearly overwhelmed.

Akira didn’t have time for this, “I’ll text you the address. We have your gear. Just get down here, that’s an order!”

Akira frowned angrily as she hung up her phone. Currently, she was in a CCG van getting transported to the raid site with the rest of her squad, minus Hide. Her younger subordinates all looked at her worriedly.

“Soooo, Hide’s not coming?” Shirazu checked.

“He is,” Akira corrected, even as she continued to frown, “But, if he’s working out a lease agreement with his landlord at his apartment complex…”

“He’s nowhere near where we’re going,” Mutsuki finished, his eyes wide with understanding, “He won’t be able to make it in time.”

“He might be there for the mop up,” Akira theorized, “But not for the real fight.”

“(More credit for the rest of us),” Urie muttered quietly. 

“Eh, maybe Hide will still make it,” Shirazu said hopefully, “If he breaks a few traffic laws, he’ll make it in plenty of time.”

Saiko shuddered, clearly nervous as she wrapped her arms around herself, “But…it’s okay if he’s late, right? Maybe it’s for the best that Papa can’t make it. He’s with Mama and Maman. He’s safer with them.”

“(You’re just upset that he’s not here to coddle you),” Urie snorted under his breath. 

Saiko didn’t appear to have heard him, but nevertheless, she curled up tighter.

–

Hide hung up his phone. He flicked on his voice changer. He took a deep breath.

“Shit,” he cursed.

–

Inside the meeting room, Anteiku was whispering among themselves, a quiet, but passionate, debate raging between them.

“We should say no,” Nishiki growled, clearly displeased with Aogiri’s demands, “We just want the ceasefire. No need to grab extra bullshit.”

“We should say yes,” Tsukiyama countered, “Kanou’s research—”

“I don’t fucking _care!_ ” Nishiki hissed, “It’s not worth it!”

“I agree,” Yomo murmured, nodding in Nishiki’s direction, “We would gain little. Keep the original deal.”

“They want Kimi’s research bad enough that they’re willing to share Kanou’s,” Touka reasoned, “That _means_ something. As long as we have something they want, they’ll keep bothering us. They’re more likely to lose interest if we’re not _interesting!_ ”

“What do you think, Kaneki-kun?” Tsukiyama asked curiously, “This offer affects you more than any of us.”

Quickly, Kaneki glanced over to the Aogiri delegation. They were silent, making no indication that they were listening into Anteiku’s debate, but there was something _familiar_ with how Miza’s head was tilted, just slightly. It reminded him of how Hinami looked when she listened to quiet conversations a block away.

Kaneki hummed thoughtfully, and looked back at his friends, “I think—”

Suddenly, the door slammed open with a sharp _bang_. Kaneki looked up, a brief flash of irritation sparking to life, then quickly fading when he saw Hide panting at the door. The others, both Aogiri and Anteiku, turned their heads to the disguised human, curiosity buzzing around the room.

“What’s wrong?” Touka asked, her tone both sharp and worried.

There was no way to beat around the bush. Despite the distortion from his voice changer, Hide’s voice was grim as he relayed the bad news.

“The CCG found us. We’ve got less than 10 minutes before the first wave.”

Shocked chatter instantly broke out. Almost everyone had jumped out of seats and were prowling about the room. Only Eto remained seated, her hands steepled in front of her, deep in thought. 

“How did they—”

“What are we going to do?”

“Fuck! Fucking Doves!”

“We’ve got about 10 minutes!” Hide yelled, trying to make himself heard over the din, “If we go _now_ , we can leave before the CCG arrives!”

“Do we even know how many of them are coming here?” Miza asked.

Kaneki shook his head, “It doesn’t matter. We shouldn’t risk it when we have the chance to escape without any causalities.”

“You want to run from the Doves, Eyepatch?” Ayato mocked, “How cowardly.”

“Don’t be stupid!” Touka snapped, “In case you didn’t notice, there’s a limited number of us, and an unknown number of _them_.”

Ayato snarled, enraged, “We don’t run—”

“Enough,” Eto ordered, calm despite the shouting. Then she turned her bandaged face towards Anteiku, tilting her head thoughtfully.

“It is odd, is it not?” Eto murmured, tapping her fingers against her lips, “How did the Doves know where to find us? It is quite convenient for them to be able to fight us while we are few in number and in cramped quarters. Did you tell them our location, Anteiku?”

“What?” Kaneki croaked, surprised. Such an accusation was—

“That’s moronic as shit!” Touka shouted, her temper flaring, “Why would we talk to the CCG? That puts us in danger too!”

“Does it?” Eto countered, her voice that sweet poisoned honey again, “You’ve been observed being rather friendly with some Doves, White Rabbit.”

Touka stiffened, and tried not to glance over at Ayato. During her last fight with her brother, she had defended Akira. Touka hissed, frustrated that she couldn’t come up with a good counter argument. Touka knew it looked suspicious. Hide glanced at her worriedly, his mind whirling.

Finally, his eyes landed on Takizawa and an idea formed.

“What about you, Aogiri?” Hide accused, jabbing a finger at Takizawa, “You’ve got a former Dove in your ranks. A dead one.”

Takizawa blinked owlishly at Hide before slowly, a mad grin formed on his lips.

“How’d you know that, huh~?” Takizawa purred, a dangerous lilt to his voice.

In a flash, Takizawa hopped over the table, grabbed the front of Hide’s jacket, and pulled the blond close. Takizawa grinned, the skin of his darkened lips cracking, as his free hand skimming the edges of Hide’s disguise.

“You seem to know a lot~” Takizawa singsonged, his fingers drumming against the “33” on Hide’s gas mask, “I wonder…who are you under alllll this~?”

_‘Shit,’_ Hide’s panicked mind shrieked internally, as he tried not to squirm, _‘I messed up.’_

“Let go of him!” Touka shouted, her fists clenching.

“Make me!” Takizawa laughed, hefting Hide up. Touka snarled, her whole frame tense like a wound up spring. Hide turned fearful eyes towards her. Things were quickly spiraling out of control, and the whole situation was like a powder keg waiting for a spark.

“Touka…Touka don’t!” Hide hissed, trying to calm her down. He shouldn’t have bothered. The match was already lit.

_SHHHLK! Whump!_

“ _AAAAAAaahhhHHhh…hahahaaa!”_ Takizawa screeched before the sound trailed off into deranged laughter. He stepped back, holding the bloody stump of his arm. Hide stumbled back, shocked at his sudden freedom. Takizawa’s bloody amputated arm lay right in front of the blond’s feet. Before Hide was able to process anything, the human was quickly shoved back behind Kaneki. The half-ghoul’s kagune were out and smeared with blood.

Hide wanted to curse. He had been so focused on Touka’s reaction, he failed to pay attention to Kaneki. The half-ghoul crouched low, his body twisting into predatory vengeful movement. His kagune were already whipping around for another attack.

It was like an explosion—violent and chaotic.

(Boom.)

–

Outside of the school house, the first of the CCG’s vans were skidding into the courtyard in the front. CCG agents, dressed in dark raid gear, hopped out of the vans brandishing quinques, determination written all over their features. In one van, Marude Itsuki had set up a makeshift headquarters, and was already rapidly calling out orders.

“Atou, I want you and your squad on point,” Marude barked into his microphone, “Kijima, your squad is supporting Atou. Ooshiba, Mado, I want your squads to circle around the back. All other personnel, on standby.”

“Yes, sir!” came the prompt replies over the com system. 

Marude frowned as he did some quick calculations. He knew this whole mission was a risk. He had scrapped together five squads—an impressive feat, considering how many CCG agents were busy with Washuu Matsuri’s scheduled raid. But normal missions against Aogiri usually called for at least two times the amount of investigators he had on hand. On one hand, the number of investigators was disheartening. On the other…the initial reports had stated that both Aogiri and Anteiku were gathered in much smaller number than usual. 

Leaders from two ghoul groups in one spot with only a smattering of security? The CCG had the chance to slice the head off the dragon. They couldn’t let this opportunity to pass by unanswered.

The two point squads made short work in breaching the building doors, and started to make their way inside.

Battle start.

And then, without warning, the sharp _crash_ of breaking glass echoed above the investigators’ heads.

Ghouls tumbled out of a broken window from a higher floor. Snarling, Marude toggled on his mic.

“ _I need people out in the courtyard ASAP!”_

–

Naki saw Thirty-three rush upstairs into the main meeting room. It didn’t take long for the yelling to start. Naki felt a smile tug at the corners of his lips. Finally, some action!

Just as he was about to ready his men, the Gas Mask’s leader grabbed his elbow in a gentle grip that was totally at odds with his giant frame.

“Please,” the beefy fucker begged, “We don’t have to fight.”

Naki sighed. Really, he was just about to—

_Crash!_ The sound of glass shattering echoed from the floor above, right where the meeting between Aogiri and Anteiku was taking place. Naki looked up, when—

_Boom!_ Across the hall the doors were kicked open, revealing a knot of humans wielding quinques.

“ _Doves!”_ the cry went out.

Naki’s face broke out into a vicious grin. Looks like things wouldn’t be so boring now. He shared a glance the the Gas Masks, a quick bolt of understanding flashing between them. Dove’s first.

“Get 'em!” Naki roared, pointing at the humans.

–

It happened so fast. There was nothing and then—

Chaos.

Hide could barely understand what was happening. One moment he was struggling in Takizawa’s grip, the next he was being pushed away as blood arched through the air.

Kaneki and Takizawa were grappling with each other, kagune flashing. The former Dove’s arm reattached itself with nearly impossible speed. Takizawa’s maddened giggles just barely drowned out Kaneki’s snarls. Takizawa’s mouth opened, almost impossibly wide, before clamping down hard on Kaneki’s left shoulder.

“AAAAAaaaaaaahhhh!” Kaneki shouted as flesh tore away from his body. His hand automatically reached over to clutch the wound, even as skin and sinew started knitting itself together.

For a second, Takizawa just stood there, chewing, before a blissful smile stretched over his face.

“ _Tasttttty,_ ” he moaned, his tongue lolling out to swipe at the remaining blood around his lips, “Fuck, you’re the best jam jam jam~!”

Kaneki launched himself back at Takizawa, elbowing the other half-ghoul in the face to stun him. Takizawa’s nose _crunched_ under Kaneki’s assault, smearing blood all across the former Dove’s pale face. Kaneki felt a small flash of satisfaction as Takizawa’s head reeled back. It was a short lived victory. Takizawa renewed his attack with vigor, his eyes crazed with hunger and violence.

“Touka, Touka—you need to get everyone to retreat!” Kaneki shouted as he ducked a wild swing from Takizawa.

“Ahhh—hahahaha!” the former Dove laughed and screamed, his body arching. Across the room, Eto smiled as she murmured quietly to herself. The combatants didn’t notice.

Takizawa’s kagune flared up behind him, jagged ukaku spikes thrumming in a familiar way.  Kaneki recognized it immediately—Takizawa was going to fill the room with projectiles. In such a small space, the attack would hit everybody.

Quick as a viper, Kaneki rushed at Takizawa, and bodily threw both of them out the window. The noise of shattering glass was almost downed out by Takizawa’s cackled laughs as both half-ghouls fell two stories to the ground.

“Kaneki!” Touka and Hide cried out together.

“Oh this looks interesting,” Eto muttered to herself, even as she tilted her head towards the remaining Anteiku members, “What will you do?”

“Get him out of here,” Yomo murmured, glancing at Touka and jerking his chin in Hide’s direction, “We’ll cover you.”

Touka nodded curtly, grabbing the back of Hide’s jacket and dashing out of the room with the human in tow. It was easy enough—Anteiku had chosen to sit on the side of the table closest to the door. Touka ran swiftly, despite dragging Hide along. Hide’s yelp of protest was promptly ignored.

Rather predictably, Ayato was already rising to chase after his sister. Nishiki acted first. With a vicious swipe of his kagune, the bikaku user sent Ayato crashing into the far wall.

“What’s the matter, bunny boy?” Nishiki taunted as Ayato shook off the hit, “Leaving so soon?”

“Fucking snake,” Ayato spat before launching himself at Nishiki. The two exchanged a flurry of blows, attacking each other mercilessly. 

Tsukiyama glanced over at Yomo, and then at Eto, Miza, and Noro.

“Two versus three?” Tsukiyama sighed dramatically as he formed his kagune over his arm with an elaborate bow, “How unfortunate. We do not have enough dance partners to go around.”

Eto giggled, obviously amused by Tsukiyama’s dramatics, before nodding at Noro, “Go play with the nice gentlemen, Noro. Miza, assist Naki with the incoming Doves outside.”

Eto turned away, clearly dismissing Anteiku. Miza whipped out her famed three blades to carve an exit into the far wall, and both she and Eto were prepared to leave unhindered. Yomo snarled under his breath and launched himself at Eto, determined to stop her retreat. 

Without missing a beat, Noro practically materialized between Yomo and Eto, batting the silver-haired ghoul away with his kagune. Yomo crashed against the far wall, but quickly leaped to his feet. His ukaku crackled to life, flaring out behind him in uneven patterns.

“It seems that we will have to go through Monsieur Noro before going after the mesdemoiselles,” Tsukiyama commented as he settled into a ready stance next to Yomo, “You and me versus him…nostalgic, no? It is almost a repeat of last time. A pity Monsieur Uta is not here with us.”

Yomo grunted in response, but didn’t answer further. His mind was already analyzing their chances. Last time, they weren’t able to defeat Noro, even with Uta’s help. In fact, every blow, no matter how serious, had been quickly healed up by the monster before them. Noro would not be an easy fight. But beyond that, Yomo’s eyes were quickly darting about the room, searching.

Where had the Clowns gone?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Strolls in months late ~~just like Aogiri~~.* 'Sup. Have an extra long chapter for taking so long. Sorry for the delay.
> 
> I have been waiting since forever to have a good opportunity for someone to call Ayato “bunny boy.” I’ve had that line written down for _ages._ Thank you, Nishiki. Also I got to get in some defenestration. Good times.
> 
> Yes, the other CCG raid alluded to during this chapter is the infamous Auction raid from canon. Obviously, quite a few things are going to be different over there, though some events will remain the same. Also, yes, Hide is wearing Touka’s mask from the Cochlea raid in canon. ~~I kinda wanted him to wear the Scarecrow mask, but Ishida-sensei is being coy on how canon that is.~~
> 
> Huh, I wonder if playing Backstreet Boys while reading this chapter makes it any different. Probably turns it goofy, haha. No, I didn’t listen to “I Want It That Way” while writing this. Honest.


End file.
